Asplenium simii A.F. Braithw. & Schelpe

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Asplenium simii

Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

Asplenium simii

Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

Asplenium simii

Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

Asplenium simii

Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Asplenium cuneatum Lam. var. angustatum Sim.
Asplenium splendens Kunze var. angustatum (Sim.) C.Chr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Rhizome shortly creeping, 7 mm thick; scales dark brown-black, margin entire, narrowly lanceolate, hairpointed, 6-12 mm long. Fronds closely spaced to tufted, not proliferous. Stipe 8-23 cm long, scales similar to but shorter than rhizome scales at the base, matt brown, shorter than the lamina. Lamina 10-28 cm × 3.5-9 cm, pinnate to 2-pinnate, linear-lanceolate in outline. Pinnae deeply pinnatifid into 3-5 obcuneate lobes, pinnate towards the base, venation flabellate, segments crenated along the outer margin, base unequally cuneate, glabrous except for small, dark, twisted scales near the lobe bases, along the costae and on the rhachis. Sori numerous, linear, up to 12 mm long, set along the veins, indusium entire.
Notes: Confusion possible with other members of the A. aethiopicum group. A. simii has long (6-12 mm), almost black rhizome scales; lamina is less divided. The A. aethiopicum complex has rhizome scales that are up to 7 mm long with a deeply 2-pinnatifid to 3-pinnate lamina division.
Derivation of specific name: simii: named after T.R. Sim, Scottish botanist & author of "The Ferns of South Africa" (1892), the first comprehensive fern book on this region.
Habitat: Deeply shaded moist evergreen forest. Epiphyte or lithophyte.
Altitude range: (metres) 1200 - 1700 m
Worldwide distribution: Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe distribution: E
Growth form(s): Epiphyte, lithophyte.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 250 - 251. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 93.

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 8.

Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 654 - 655. (Includes a picture).

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 9.

Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 369 - 370. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 5.

Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 170.

Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 97.

Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 181.

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 78.


Other sources of information about Asplenium simii:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Asplenium simii
Flora of Mozambique: Asplenium simii

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Asplenium simii
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Asplenium simii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Asplenium simii
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Asplenium simii
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Asplenium simii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Asplenium simii
JSTOR Plant Science: Asplenium simii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Asplenium simii
Plants of the World Online: Asplenium simii
Tropicos: Asplenium simii
Wikipedia: Asplenium simii


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Asplenium simii.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=102740, retrieved 28 March 2024

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