Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes - Online edition

Ophioglossum polyphyllum


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Habit, showing sporophore. © APII
Family

Ophioglossaceae

Botanical name

Ophioglossum polyphyllum A.Braun

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/116356

Description

Rhizome erect, cylindrical; roots very numerous, wiry, projecting downwards; old leaf bases persistent and forming a prominent brown sheath. Fronds 2 or 3, erect, robust, 9–13 cm long. Common stipe 3–6 cm long. Sterile lamina 3–8 cm long, 10–22 mm wide, very firm, often leathery, lanceolate, rarely ovate-elliptic, acute; base abruptly cuneate or rounded; venation with secondary areoles within primary areoles; areoles elongate with included free veinlets. Sporophore 10–25 mm long, on a stipe 2.5–9 cm long, adnate to sterile lamina, arising from it above the base; sterile tip 0.5–1 mm long.

Distribution

Scattered across tropical and subtropical WA, NT and QLD, usually in inland areas.

Habit and habitat

Terrestrial, usually in sandy or clayey depressions in soil near seepages in open forest and woodland.

Similar species

Ophioglossum polyphyllum can be readily identified by the presence of a papery brown leaf sheath underground at the base of the stipe.

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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