| Home | > | List of families | > | Pteridaceae | > | Pityrogramma | > | calomelanos |
| Synonyms: |
Acrostichum calomelanos L. Gymnocarpa calomelanos (L.) Kaulf. Gymnogramma ochracea sensu Sim Pityrogramma insularis Domin |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Introduced |
| Description: |
Rhizome erect to shortly creeping, up to 10 mm in diameter; scales light brown, linear, up to 4 mm long, margins entire. Fronds tufted, arching, firmly herbaceous. Stipe 6-36 cm long, black to chestnut brown, shiny smooth with few scales at the base. Lamina 14-37 × 7-14 cm, ovate to lanceolate in outline, 2- to 3-pinnatifid, long tapering to the apex. Pinnae oblong-lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, pinnatifid to varying degree, apices acute, margins shallowly toothed and inrolled in dried material, dark green above and covered with a white powder below, glabrous on both surfaces. Rhachis black to chestnut brown, shiny, glabrous. Sori about 3 mm long, situated along the veins in the outer half of the lamina between the costule and margin, often difficult to see because of the yellow powder; exindusiate. |
| Notes: | Could be confused with P. argentea but the latter has more delicate and more divided (3- or 4-pinnatifid, broadly ovate to triangular fronds. |
| Derivation of specific name: | calomelanos: beautifully black, referring to the colour of stipe and rhachis |
| Habitat: | Disturbed sites, moist conditions. |
| Altitude range: | 730 m (approx) |
| Worldwide distribution: | Introduced from Tropical America. Found in tropical West, Central and East Africa southwards to central Mozambique as well as in Malagasy and on the Comoro islands. |
| Mozambique distribution: | Z |
| Growth form(s): | Lithophyte, terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Page 222. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 57. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 177. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 107 - 108. |
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