Thelypteris guineensis (Christ) Alston

Thelypteridaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Type

Type: Guinea, Labè, Chevalier 12385 (P, holo.; BM!, photo)

Caudex

Caudex short-creeping or ± erect with fronds densely tufted

Stipes

Stipe 25–56 cm long, glabrous or with minute capitate hairs

Leaf lamina

Lamina narrowly oblong, 30–45 cm long, 15–20 cm wide, with 1–4 pairs of very reduced pinnae, 3–10 mm long (these have been ignored in calculating stipe and lamina lengths).

Leaves

Pinnae narrowly oblong, up to 12 cm long, 1.5 cm wide, acuminate, very deeply pinnatifid almost to costa; lobes narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 6–10 mm long, 1.5–2.2 mm wide, straight or somewhat falcate, rounded to acute at apex, with dense small yellowish glands beneath; costules ± 2.5 mm apart; veins not anastomosing; sinus membranes thickened

Indusium

Indusia small with very few to many small yellowish glands.

Ecology

River banks; ?900–1650 m

Note

In his key, Schelpe states ‘indusios pilosos’, so some doubt must rest on his records from Angola. The specimens cited above had ‘guineensis’ written on in pencil in B. Parris’ handwriting and I am sure this is correct.

Distribution

Flora districts: U2 Range: Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola