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Actiniopteris radiata
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Photo: Petra Ballings
Birchenough bridge to Masvingo road, near Nyika
Photo: Petra Ballings
Tuli camp on road to police camp
Photo: Petra Ballings
Robins camp to Vic Falls, Matetzi bridge, Hwange
Photo: Petra Ballings
Hippo Pools, Umfurudzi Safari Area
Photo: Petra Ballings
Hippo Pools, Umfurudzi Safari Area
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| Synonyms: |
Acrostichum radiatum (J.König ex Sw.) Poir. Actiniopteris australis sensu Sim Asplenium radiatum J.König ex Sw. Pteris radiata (J.König ex Sw.) Bojer |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Rhizome shortly creeping, c. 4 mm in diameter; rhizome scales narrowly triangular, pale brown with a central dark stripe, 3-3.5 mm long. Stipe pale brown to strawcoloured, subglabrous with few brown hairlike scales. Fronds densely tufted, erect, weakly dimorphic, differing only in size and stipe lenght not in shape and degree of lamina dissection. Lamina flabellate, semi-circular in outline, dried lamina bent over sharply at an angle of 90° or more with the stipe. Sterile frond: stipe 2-10 cm long, lamina 1.5-4.5 cm long, dichotomously divided into 20-60 linear segments, segments apices serrate with 2-5 teeth, margins entire, usually reflexed. Fertile frond: stipe 5.5-20 cm long, lamina 3-7 cm long, otherwise similar to sterile lamina. Sori in submarginal lines, partly obscured by reflexed margin; indusium continuous. |
| Notes: | Can be confused with Actiniopteris dimorpha. A. dimorpha is strongly dimorph, fertile and sterile fronds differing in size and stipe lenght, as well as in shape or degree of lamina dissection. A. dimorpha also has about half the number of segments on the fertile frond. |
| Derivation of specific name: | radiata: describing the radiating arrangement of the segments of the lamina. |
| Habitat: | Dry rocky outcrops, in rock crevices, at base of boulders, on shallow soil overlying sheetrock, earth banks in shaded ravines. |
| Altitude range: | 500 - 1300 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Southern Africa, throughout tropical Africa westwards to the Cape Verde Is. and eastwards through Arabia to India and Sri Lanka. |
| Mozambique distribution: | MS |
| Growth form: | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects (whose larvae eat this species): | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 180. (Includes a picture). Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 306 - 307. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 291 - 292. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Pages 46 - 47. 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 9. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 116. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 59. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 167 - 168. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Page 138. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Actiniopteris radiata:
African Plant Database: Actiniopteris radiataBiodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Actiniopteris radiata
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Actiniopteris radiata
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Actiniopteris radiata
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Actiniopteris radiata
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Actiniopteris radiata
JSTOR Plant Science: Actiniopteris radiata
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Actiniopteris radiata
Tropicos: Actiniopteris radiata
West African Plants database: Actiniopteris radiata
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