Asplenium rutifolium (P.J. Bergius) Kunze

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Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

Photo: Petra Ballings
Bunga forest, Vumba

Photo: Petra Ballings
Chimanimani, Haroni river, Tessa's pool

Photo: Bart Wursten
Seldomseen, Vumba

Photo: Petra Ballings
By the Swynnerton Memorial, Chirinda Forest

Photo: Petra Ballings
Parking area, Mtarazi Falls, Nyanga

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Synonyms:	Asplenium achilleifolium (Lam.) C.Chr. Asplenium bipinnatum (Forssk.) C.Chr. Asplenium rutifolium (P.J. Bergius) Kunze var. bipinnatum (Forssk.) Schelpe Caenopteris rutifolium P.J. Bergius Lonchitis bipinnatum Forssk.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome erect, up to 25 mm wide and 40mm long; scales dark brown, up to 9mm long, margin subentire, linear-lanceolate. Fronds tufted, not proliferous, coriaceous. Stipe up to 18 cm, glabrous at maturity, pale straw-coloured to matt brown when dry. Lamina 7-30 cm × 2.8-11 cm, 2- to 3-pinnatifid, oblong-lanceolate in outline. Pinnae hairless or with few small scales below, deeply incised into linear-oblanceolate lobes but with a 2-9 lobed acroscopic basal segment or with some of the lower segments sometimes 2-fid, angled forward at c. 45°. Sori one per lobe,oval, situated on the lateral margin, half way up the lobe, facing toward the pinnae apex, indusium entire.
Notes:	Confusion possible with A. theciferum; A. rutifolium has sori born on the side margins not on the tips of the ultimate lobes. It resembles A. dregeanum; A. rutifolium is not gemmiferous.
Derivation of specific name:	Rutifolium: with leaves like Ruta, a genus of the Rutaceae family.
Habitat:	Deeply shaded moist evergreen forest. Epiphyte or lithophyte.
Altitude range:	50 - 2000 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, also Yemen and Madagascan region
Mozambique distribution:	Z,T,MS,M
Growth form:
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 13 November 2011
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 236 - 238. (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 630 - 631. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 374 - 376. (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 5. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 170. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 95 - 96. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Pages 185 - 187. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Asplenium rutifolium:

African Plant Database: Asplenium rutifolium
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Asplenium rutifolium
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Asplenium rutifolium
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Asplenium rutifolium
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Asplenium rutifolium
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Asplenium rutifolium
JSTOR Plant Science: Asplenium rutifolium
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Asplenium rutifolium
Tropicos: Asplenium rutifolium
West African Plants database: Asplenium rutifolium