Nephrolepis brownii

Nephrolepidaceae

Nephrolepis brownii (Desv.) Hovenkamp & Miyam.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/201804

Description from Hovenkamp and Miyamoto: Plants forming tufts of 5 or 6 fronds. Runners often forming stiles supporting the upright rhizome, 1.5–2.5 mm thick, branching angle divaricate. Scales on runners sparse, appressed or spreading. Tuber absent. Fronds 70–130 by 10-12 cm, stipe 14–37 cm long. Lamina base more or less strongl reduced, tapering over 25–35 cm, basal pinnae 1.5–2 cm long, 2–5 cm distant, middle pinnae straight or slightly falcate. Sterile pinnae 6 by 1.4 cm, base slightly to strongly uequal, basiscopic base rounded or cordate, acroscopic base truncate, strongly auricled (usually with a narrow auricle), margin in basal part entire or crenate, apex acute. Fertile pinnae 5.5–7 by 0.9 cm, with more distinctly serrate margin than the sterile pinnae. Indument basal scales peltate, appressed, 3.5 by 1.3 mm, central part dark brown or blackish, shining, hyaline margin wide, distinct, marginal glands absent, margin in basal part ciliate, acumen ciliate. Rachis scales dense, spreading hyaline or light brown, with a well-developed protracted entire or ciliate acumen (ciliate in the lower part). Scales on lamina usually persistent, often also persistent on upper surface. Hairs on lamina absent, on costa constantly present. Soria margin or submarginal (rarely, 25–27 pairs on fully fertile pinnae, round. Indusium reniform, with narrow sinus, attached at sinus. Ref: Hovenkamp, P.H. & Miyamoto, F. (2005), A conspectus of the native and naturalized species of Nephrolepis (Nephrolepidaceae) in the world. Blumea 50(2): 293-294.

Tropical QLD and N NT. Also in Malesia.

This species was included in Nephrolepis hirsutula in the Fl. Australia 48. Hovenkamp & Miyamoto (2005) recognised this as a separate species.

Easily cultivated in the ground or in a hanging container in a tropical, subtropical or warm-temperate garden or fernery.

Nephrolepis brownii can be distinguished from other Australian Nephrolepis by the presence of a triangular auricle on the acroscopic side of the pinnae bases combined with hairs being present on the upper costa and sori being submedial.

Key to Australian Nephrolepis spp.:
1a. Sori linear with a linear indusium and borne on margin; pinnae with entire margins = Nephrolepis acutifolia
1b. Sori round or kidney-shaped with a kidney-shaped indusium and borne supramedially to medially, each on the end of a vein, margins ~ crenate = 2
2a. Pinnae with an obtuse apex, less than 50 mm long = 3
2b. Pinnae with an acute to attenuate apex, greater than 50 mm long = 4
3a. Rachis with scales, rarely hairy, basal auricles of pinnae overlapping rachis = Nephrolepis cordifolia
3b. Rachis with hairs, rarely scaley, basal auricles of pinnae not usually overlapping rachis = Nephrolepis arida
4a. Pinnae with an acroscopic basal auricle; all parts hirsute = 5
4b. Pinnae lacking a distinct acroscopic basal auricle, indumentum sparse = 5
5a. Hairs on upper side of costae absent; rachis scales rufous, with strongly dentate acumen; sori submarginal = Nephrolepis hirsutula
5b. Hairs on upper side of costa present; rachis scales hyaline or light brown (rarely rufous), with nearly entire acumen; sori submedial = Nephrolepis brownii
6a. Sori borne close to margin, stolons densely scaly = Nephrolepis biserrata
6b Sori borne medially, stolons green with few scales = Nephrolepis obliterata