Prosaptia contigua

Polypodiaceae

Prosaptia contigua (G.Forst.) C.Presl

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/120031

Rhizome scales medium brown to blackish with whitish or pale to dark red-brown marginal hairs. Lamina 12.7–23.5 (–30) cm long, 15–28 mm wide; pinnae (35–) 43–59 (–66) pairs; longest pinnae 8–16 mm long, 2–4 mm wide; margins entire or crenulate; hairs of 2 types; hairs 0.2–0.6 mm long, medium to dark red-brown, simple, eglandular, on margins, both surfaces of rachis and abaxially on lamina, and forked hairs on both surfaces of rachis, sometimes on both surfaces of pinna midvein and margin. Sori deeply sunken in steep-sided pits ±parallel to surface of lamina, opening towards margin c. 0.5 mm from it. 

Occurs in NE QLD between Iron Range and Kirrama Range. Also in Asia, Malesia, and the Pacific Islands.

Epiphytic and lithophytic in low- to upper- montane rainforest, usually near creeks.

Key to Australian Prosaptia spp.;

1a. Sori not sunken in pits with a raised rim, medial, not protruding beyond the lamina margin = Prosaptia fuscopilosa

1b. Sori sunken in pits with a raised rim, supra-medial to submarginal resulting in a protrusion on the lamina margin = 2

2a. Sori in pouches on the margin, few pairs, restricted to the lobe apex = Prosaptia contigua

2b. Sori in rimmed depressions, several pairs, not restricted to the lobe apex = Prosaptia maidenii