Gleichenia polypodioides
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Photo: Petra Ballings
Chimanimani, Corner
Photo: Petra Ballings
Chimanimani, Corner
Photo: Petra Ballings
BR
Photo: Petra Ballings
Tessa's pool, Chimanimani
Photo: Petra Ballings
John Meikle Forestry Estate, Stapleford
Photo: Petra Ballings
Road from Mt Selinda to Espungabera border post
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Calymella polypodioides (L.) Ching Gleichenia argentea Kaulf. Gleichenia glauca Sw. Mertensia coeruleoglauca Poir. Onoclea polypodioides L. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Rhizome widely creeping, branched, 1-5 mm in diameter; scales dark brown, up to 1 mm long. Fronds spaced 2-20 cm apart, 30-90 cm long. Stipe up to 60 cm long, stiff, wiry, glabrous, shiny. Lamina dichotomously divided, circular in outline. Pinnules pinnatifid with small, 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm, triangular ultimate lobes, glabrous, joined to the costules. Sori embedded in the lobes at the apical side near the costa, creating a raised impression of the sori on the upper surface of the lobe. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: | Differs from Stricherus umbraculiferus by having pinnules that are only present on the distal lamina axes; differs from Dicranopteris linearis by having sori that are sunken into the lamina. Futhermore the ultimate segments are small and rounded to triangular. |
| Derivation of specific name: | polypodioides: resembling a Polypodium, a fern genus that also have the sori sunk into frond surface |
| Habitat: | Full sun or light shade in crevices of cliffs, along stream- and earthbanks and on road embankments, disturbed areas, in cool regions of high rainfall or frequent mist. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1920 m |
| Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Burundi, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zimbabwe. Also Amsterdam Isl., Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion. |
| FZ divisions: | N,E,S |
| Growth form(s): | Lithophyte, terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Thursday 8 December 2011 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 52. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 82. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 31. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 28. Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 174 - 175. (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 11. Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22 SANBI, Pretoria Page 212. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 182 - 183. (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 6. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 31. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 39. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 50. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 48. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 78. |
Other sources of information about Gleichenia polypodioides:
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Flora of Angola: Gleichenia polypodioidesFlora of Burundi: Gleichenia polypodioides
Flora of Malawi: Gleichenia polypodioides
Flora of Mozambique: Gleichenia polypodioides
Flora of Tanzania: Gleichenia polypodioides
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Gleichenia polypodioidesAfrican Plant Database: Gleichenia polypodioides
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Gleichenia polypodioides
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Gleichenia polypodioides
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Gleichenia polypodioides
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IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Gleichenia polypodioides
JSTOR Plant Science: Gleichenia polypodioides
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Gleichenia polypodioides
Plants of the World Online: Gleichenia polypodioides
Tropicos: Gleichenia polypodioides
Wikipedia: Gleichenia polypodioides