Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes - Online edition

Asplenium tenerum


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Close up of frond showing sori. © CSIRO
Habit. © CSIRO
Family

Aspleniaceae

Botanical name

Asplenium tenerum G.Forst.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/119826

Description

Lithophytic ferns. Rhizomes erect, scaly. Stipe and rachis mostly green except at extreme base, bearing very scattered scales; stipe 5–12 cm long, 0.5–1 mm diam. Lamina narrowly ovate, pinnate, 11–17 cm long, 4–6 cm wide, pale green, ±glabrous; apices acuminate. Pinnae in 10–15 pairs, ±oblong; bases lobed acroscopically and partially excised basiscopically, shortly stalked; margins deeply and regularly crenate; apices obtuse; longest pinnae below middle, 20–30 mm long, 9–13 mm wide, reducing gradually upwards but abruptly contracted to an acuminate pinnatifid apical segment. Sori to 3 mm long. Perispores pale, reticulate, fenestrate, with occasional ridges; exospores 41 µm × 28.4 µm (mean). 

Distribution

Mt Carbine to Atherton Tablelands in NE QLD. Also scattered across Palaeotropics.

Habit and habitat

Lithophytic on rocks and boudlers near creeks in high-rainfall high-altitude vine forest.

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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