Species of fern
Dryopteris inaequalis is an Afrotropical fern species that ranges from tropical and southern Africa to Madagascar.[1] It has been recorded in Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa,[2] where it is present in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.[3] It is found on forest floors and along forest margins, from middle to high altitudes.[2]
Description
It has a creeping rhizome of up to 3.5 cm in diameter, that bears attenuate pale-brown rhizome-scales of up to 2 cm long.[2] The stipe is up to 80 cm long and is only densely scaled towards its base. The lamina is up to 90 x 33 cm, broadly to narrowly ovate with an acuminate apex with the basal pinnae not reduced, or barely so.[2] The pinnae are up to 33 x 16 cm and form an angle of more than 50° to the rachis. The pinnules are oblong to very narrowly oblong in outline. The rachis becomes glabrous with maturity.[2]
Varieties
- D. inaequalis var. atropaleacea – Tanzania to Zambia. Rhizome and stipe scales black
- D. inaequalis var. inaequalis – Zambia to South Africa. Rhizome and stipe scales brown
References
