Sticherus umbraculifer (Kunze) Ching

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Valley below Mt Pheza, Chimanimani Mts

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Synonyms:	Gleichenia umbraculifera (Kunze) T.Moore Mertensia umbraculifera Kunze
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome creeping, 5-8 mm in diameter, branched; scales small, light brown. Fronds spaced 2-10 cm apart. Stipe up to 1 m long, glabrous or with few pale brown scales. Lamina kidney-shaped in outline and repeatedly dichotomously branched, all branches covered with pale brown scales and bearing pinnules. Pinnule lobes oblong-linear,bluntly acute to attenuate, 10-30 × 1.8-2 mm, glabrous but with few scales on midrib below. Sori superficial, not sunken, scattered between the midrib and the margin of pinnule lobes below, often confined to the basal half of each lobe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	umbraculum: umbrella; referring to the frond shape.
Habitat:	Along roadsides or river margins, also in areas between forest and mountain grassland, boulder bases in grassland, in full sun or dappled shade.
Altitude range:	600 - 2200 m
Worldwide distribution:	Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:
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:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 52 - 54. As Gleichenia umbraculifera (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 28. As Gleichenia umbraculifera Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 176 - 177. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 183 - 184. As Gleichenia umbraculifera (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 6. As Gleichenia umbraculifera Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 39. As Gleichenia umbraculifera Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 50. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 50. As Gleichenia umbraculifera Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 78.

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Flora of Zimbabwe: Sticherus umbraculifer

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