Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes - Online edition

Pneumatopteris costata


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Close up of frond showing sori. © CSIRO
Close up of frond showing sori. © CSIRO
Close up of frond showing sori. © G. Sankowsky
Stipe. © G. Sankowsky
Frond. © G. Sankowsky
Family

Thelypteridaceae

Botanical name

Pneumatopteris costata (Brack.) Holttum

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/62161

Description

Rhizome short, erect. Fronds to 85 cm long, dark green. Stipe 5–10 cm long. Lamina elliptic, to 75 cm long, mid-green, not pustular abaxially when dried; pinnae to 30 pairs; basal 4–8 pairs gradually reduced, not auriculate; lowest c. 10 mm long; largest pinnae c. 15 cm long, 1.5 cm wide, narrowly acuminate, lobed at least half-way to costa; lobes entire; veins 8 or 9 pairs; basal ones anastomosing; 1 or both of next pair passing to the sinus membrane; lower surface with minute acicular hairs and very small sessile or subsessile colourless glands which collapse on drying; glands also scattered between veins on upper surface; hairs on upper surface of rachis and costae colourless, acicular, more than 0.5 mm long. Sori inframedial, exindusiate or with very small glabrous indusium; sporangia with small capitate hairs near the annulus.

Distribution

Between the Russell and Tully Rivers in the Wet Tropics of NE QLD. Also scattered across the Pacific Islands and Malesia.

Habit and habitat

Terrestrial in mesic vine forest in lower-montane river valleys.

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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