Asplenium protensum Schrad.

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BR

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Way to Tsetsera, Himalayas

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Mt. Gorongosa, forest Canda side

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Tsetsera

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Mt Gorongosa

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Synonyms:	Asplenium protensum Schrad. var. pseudohorridum Hieron.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome up to 5 mm diameter, erect; scales brown with pale margings, narrowly ovate-triangular, up to 2 mm long. Fronds tufted, arching, herbaceous, proliferous towards the apex. Stipe up to 18 cm; stipe and rhachis are thinly pubescent and covered with few ovate brown scales. Lamina up to 95 cm × 12 cm, narrowly lanceolate in outline, 2-pinnatifid. Pinnae incised 2/3 of the way to the midrib, acroscopic basal lobe well developed, lanceolate, thinly pubescent above and below. Sori up to 5 mm long, linear, set at about 15 degrees to the midrib, indusium entire.
Type location:
Notes:	Differs from similar species by having proliferous fronds.
Derivation of specific name:	protensum: extended, referring to the long, narrow fronds.
Habitat:	Mostly on mossy boulders along deeply shaded streambanks in evergreen forest. Lithophyte.
Altitude range: (metres)	1000 - 2000 m
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Bioko, Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Soa Tomé, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascan region
National distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):	Epiphyte, lithophyte, terrestrial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Saturday 12 October 2024
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 232. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 93. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 27. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 7. Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 620 - 621. (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 9. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 26. Fischer E. & Lobin W. (2024). Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and quillworts) and Polypodiopsida (ferns) of Rwanda. Willdenowia 53(3) Page 158. Fischer, E. & Killmann, D. (2008). Illustrated Field guide to the Plants of Nyungwe National Park Rwanda. University of Koblenz-Landau. Page 70. (Includes a picture). Fischer, E. & Lobin, W. (2023). Synoptic Revision of Aspleniaceae (Asplenium, Hymenasplenium) of Rwanda. Phytotaxa 608 (1) Page 34. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 354 - 355. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Pages 101 - 102. 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. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 29. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 169. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 94 - 95. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 179. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 78.

Other sources of information about Asplenium protensum:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Asplenium protensum
Flora of the DRC: Asplenium protensum
Flora of Malawi: Asplenium protensum
Flora of Rwanda: Asplenium protensum
Flora of Zambia: Asplenium protensum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Asplenium protensum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Asplenium protensum
African Plant Database: Asplenium protensum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Asplenium protensum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Asplenium protensum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Asplenium protensum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Asplenium protensum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Asplenium protensum
JSTOR Plant Science: Asplenium protensum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Asplenium protensum
Plants of the World Online: Asplenium protensum
Tropicos: Asplenium protensum
Wikipedia: Asplenium protensum