Thelypteris friesii (Brause) Schelpe

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

Leaf lamina

Lamina deeply bipinnatifid, narrowly oblong-lanceolate in outline, 0.5–1.2 m long, 12–26 cm wide, acute with up to 6 pairs of basal pinnae suddenly decrescent, widely spaced and reduced to less than 2 cm long.

Leaves

Pinnae often folded longitudinally when dry, middle narrowly oblong, 6.5–13 cm long, 1.2–3 cm wide, deeply pinnatifid; lobes narrowly oblong, 0.6–1.5 cm long, 2.5–3 mm wide, falcate, acute, costa with dense white hairs above, lower surface pilose with soft white hairs; veins up to 13 pairs, not anastomosing Fronds spaced 1–4 cm apart, 1–1.8 m tall

Indusium

Indusium often small and ± irregular, glandular and with few to many long white hairs or entirely lacking

Figures

Fig 4, p.16.

Ecology

Swamps with sedges, Eulophia, Lobelia etc., often along forest streams; 1400–1800 m

Note

It is possible to confuse this with Amauropelta oppositiformis which sometimes lacks the characteristic glands. Schelpe gives the lamina length up to 1.7–0.48 m (error for 1.7 × 0.48 m) but although the species appears to be larger in the F.Z. area, I have seen nothing of this size.

Stipes

Stipe 24–38 cm long, greyish brown, thinly pubescent with short white hairs

Type

Type: Zambia, Luvingo, R.E. Fries 1104 (UPS, holo.; BM!, photo.)

Rhizomes

Rhizome creeping with dark brown lanceolate acute entire scales up to 4.5 mm long

Distribution

Flora districts: K3 T4 T7 Range: Cameroon, Congo (Kinshasa), Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe