Sphaerostephanos heterocarpus

Thelypteridaceae

Sphaerostephanos heterocarpus (Blume) Holttum

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/85431

Rhizome erect, rarely exceeding 20 cm, rarely or (not in Australia) commonly branched from the base. Fronds to 60 cm long. Stipe to c. 30 cm long (to lowermost, unreduced pinnae), densely covered with minute acicular erect hairs. Lamina ovate-triangular, c. 30 cm long, herbaceous, dark green; basal pinnae much-reduced, c. 10 pairs, 1–10 mm long, 1–5 mm wide; normal pinnae 20 pairs or more; largest pinnae 7–9 cm long, 1.3 cm wide, lobed at least five-eighths of distance to costae; lobes ±entire, blunt, falcate; lowermost normal pinnae much narrowed at their bases; basal veins anastomosing at least in basal half of pinna, with an excurrent vein to the sinus; second acroscopic vein sometimes touching the sinus membrane; lower surface of costae with acicular hairs rarely exceeding 0.5 mm long; similar but shorter hairs on costae and veins; lower surface between veins with copious sessile spherical yellow glands and some short erect hairs; upper surface of costae with pale antrorse hairs to 1 mm long, with scattered similar hairs on costules and veins; upper surfaces between veins with appressed hairs and sometimes a few glands. Sori medial; indusium firm, with a few short acicular hairs and sessile spherical glands like those of the lamina; sporangia with a subsessile spherical gland near the annulus and a glandular hair on the stalk. 

Torres Strait to Herbert River in NE QLD and in NT. Also in Asia, Malesia and Pacific Islands.

Terrestrial in vine forest.