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Ophioglossum polyphyllum[Agg]
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Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH
Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH
Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Ophioglossum capense Schltdl. var. regulare Schltdl. Ophioglossum cuspidatum Milde Ophioglossum regulare (Schltdl.) C.Chr. Ophioglossum vulgatum L. var. polyphyllum (A. Braun) Milde |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Rhizome spindle-shaped to linear, 10-60 mm long; roots fleshy, horizontaly interconnected; persistent leaf bases present at the top of the rhizome. Leaves 1 to 2, held at 70-80% from the horizontal. Petiole up to 25-70 mm long, 40–60% of its length subterranean. Sterile lamina 20-60 × 7-29 mm, grey or glaucus green, narrowly elliptic to oblong lanceolate, length:width ratio 1.4–4.5:1 (5-10.5:1 in var. angustifolium), apex pointed, mucronate, occasionally rounded, base wedge-shaped, texture rather fleshy, venation obscured in live material; fertile spike 40–100 mm long, with 12–30 pairs of sporangia. |
| Notes: | O. polyphyllum is easy to recognise by the cluster of dried leaf petioles at the top of the rhizome. Recently 2 var. have been distinguished: var. polymorpha (width:length ratio 1:1.4-4.5) and var. angustifolium (width:length ratio 1:5-10.5) |
| Derivation of specific name: | polyphyllum: with many leaves |
| Habitat: | Growing in various habitats (open grasslands, deciduous woodlands, rocky outcrops, soils overlying sheetrock, alluvial soils near rivers, ..) but absent from forests. |
| Altitude range: | Up to 2440 m |
| Worldwide distribution: | South Africa, Namibia, east tropical Africa, Saudi, Arabia, Afghanistan, India, Cape Verde Isl., Canary Isl. and St. Helena. |
| Mozambique distribution: | GI |
| Growth form(s): | Terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 46 - 47. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 82. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 36. Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 104 - 107. Describes 2 var. (var. polyphyllum and var. angustifolium) (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 12. Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds) (2003). Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 Page 77. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 163 - 164. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 361. (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 8. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 33. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 34 - 35. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 37. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 15. |
Other sources of information about Ophioglossum polyphyllum:
Our websites:
Flora of Botswana: Ophioglossum polyphyllumFlora of Burundi: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Flora of Malawi: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Ophioglossum polyphyllumAfrican Plant Database: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Ophioglossum polyphyllum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Ophioglossum polyphyllum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Ophioglossum polyphyllum
JSTOR Plant Science: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Plants of the World Online: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Tropicos: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
Wikipedia: Ophioglossum polyphyllum
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