Cheilanthes prenticei

Pteridaceae

Cheilanthes prenticei Luerss.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/62434

Fronds to 29 cm long and 7 cm wide; stipe dark brown to black, glabrous or with sparse to dense, short hairs (2 or 3 cells) and very sparse, long hairs and scales; rachis with moderately dense to dense hairs [3–5 (–14) cells]. Lamina elliptic, ovate or lanceolate, 2-pinnate, occasionally 3-pinnate at base, 2-pinnate for most of length; larger pinnae triangular, ovate or lanceolate; lowest pair of pinnae unequally basiscopically divided; pinnules linear-oblong or narrow-triangular, sometimes slightly caudate; margins entire or lobed; upper surface glabrous or with sparse to moderately dense, pointed hairs (2 or 3 cells); marginal fringe of hairs conspicuous; lower surface with moderately or very dense, longer (c. 1 mm) hairs. Spores rounded-tetrahedral, granulose and trilete, coarsely echinate, 35–45 µm diam., 32 per sporangium.

Endemic to NE QLD from Torres Strait Islands to western Atherton Tablelands. May also be in PNG.

Terrestrial in rocky soil in open woodland and monsoon vine forest on islands, coastal areas in inland ranges. Not generally a rainforest species.

Easily confused with Cheilanthes contigua and Cheilanthes nudiuscula. The hairs are longer and denser on the lower pinnule surface in C. prenticei (cf. sparse hairs on the lower surface in C. contigua) and also occur along the margin in C. prenticei (cf. absent in C. nudiuscula).