Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes - Online edition

Amblovenatum opulentum


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Close up of frond showing sori. © CSIRO
Close up of frond showing sori. © CSIRO
Frond. © G. Sankowsky
Frond. © CSIRO
Habit. © A.R. Field
Rhizome. © G. Sankowsky
Family

Thelypteridaceae

Botanical name

Amblovenatum opulentum (Kaulf.) J.P.Roux

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/51349379

Description

Rhizome short-creeping, scaly; scales to c. 10 mm long, to 1 mm wide, brown, hairy. Fronds to c. 1.5 m long. Stipe to 70 cm long, with scales at the base like those of the rhizome, and bearing very short stiff pale hairs throughout. Lamina 1-pinnate, ovate, to 80 cm long; pinnae c. 25 pairs, c. 35 (–40) cm long, 3 (–3.5) cm wide, lobed three-fifths to two-thirds of distance to costae; a pair of much-reduced basal pinnae sometimes present; veins commonly 8–10 pairs; basal veins from adjacent costules touching the sinus membrane or meeting below it at a varying angle to produce an excurrent vein; lower surface of rachis, costae and costules bearing very short acicular hairs; longer hairs also present on costules, veins and sinus membranes; glands variously distributed along costules and veins, small, pale yellow, short-stalked, spherical; hairs on surface between veins usually present, short, erect, colourless, acicular, with very small, colourless to pale yellow capitate hairs. Sori confined to pinna lobes, supramedial, in slight depressions; indusium thin, shrivelled when old, bearing marginal yellow glandular hairs (similar to those of the costules and veins) and sometimes a few superficial colourless acicular hairs. 

Distribution

Occurs in NE QLD between Daintree and Johnstone River and at Chillagoe. Also widespread in seasonal regions of Malesia and the Pacific Islands.

Habit and habitat

Terrestrial in lowland or lower montane vine forest, usually in exposed sites.

Citation of Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes

Field AR, Quinn CJ, Zich FA (2022) Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes. apps.lucidcentral.org/fern/text/intro/index.htm (accessed online INSERT DATE).

Field AR, Quinn CJ, Zich FA (2022) ‘Platycerium superbum’, in Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes. apps.lucidcentral.org/fern/text/entities/platycerium_superbum.htm (accessed online INSERT DATE).

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