乌毛蕨科 wu mao jue ke
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武), Dong Shiyong (董仕勇); Masahiro Kato
Ferns, mostly terrestrial, sometimes tree ferns (like small trees), rarely scandent. Rhizome mostly erect, or creeping or scandent, usually dictyostelic (Stenochlaena meristelic), scales brown, entire. Fronds monomorphic or dimorphic, mostly long stipitate; stipe with 2 to several bundles, scaly at base; lamina pinnate, pinnatifid, or bipinnatifid, rarely simple, thickly papery to leathery, glabrous or usually with small scales; pinnae rarely articulate to rachis; veins free or anastomosing with 1 or more series of areoles, without included free veinlets. Sori elongate or continuous along vascular network or commissure on either side of midrib, indusiate, rarely exindusiate, rarely acrostichoid; indusium facing toward costa or costule; annulus longitudinal, interrupted. Spores elliptic, bilateral, monolete.
About 14 genera and ca. 250 species: worldwide, but with greatest diversity in the S tropics; eight genera and 14 species (one endemic) in China.
Stenochlaena has been separated as the sole genus of Stenochlaenaceae or Blechnaceae subfamily Stenochlaenoideae.
Wu Shiew-hung. 1999. Blechnaceae. In: Wu Shiew-hung, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 4(2): 192215.
1a. Tree ferns with erect trunklike stem, up to ca. 1 m tall.
2a. Stem 12 cm in diam.; lamina bipinnatifid; sori indusiate, discrete .............. 4. Diploblechnum
2b. Stem 1015 cm in diam.; lamina pinnate; sori exindusiate, covering pinna surface .. 5. Brainea
1b. Rhizome creeping to suberect; plants not like tree ferns.
3a. Sori acrostichoid with sporangia covering entire abaxial surface of fertile pinna; pinnae articulate at junction with rachis; rhizome scales peltate, ca. 1 mm, caducous .................. 8. Stenochlaena
3b. Sori distinct, covered by indusia when young; pinnae not articulate; rhizome scales basifixed, 4 mm or more, often persistent.
4a. Sori at least partially discrete, parallel to costules and sometimes also costae and rachis.
5a. Rhizome short and erect; stipes tufted; pinnae separate, rachis terete; sori in lines parallel to costules, discrete .................................................................................................. 6. Woodwardia
5b. Rhizome creeping; stipes distant; pinnae connected by narrow wing along rachis; sori along rachis and costae almost continuous, those along costules ± discrete ....................... 7. Chieniopteris
4b. Sori forming continuous coenosori along costa of lateral pinnae.
6a. Plants epiphytic or lithophytic; fronds distant; veins anastomosing ............. 2. Blechnidium
6b. Plants terrestrial; fronds clustered; veins free.
7a. Fronds monomorphic; pinnae with lamina broad ........................................ 1. Blechnum
7b. Fronds dimorphic; fertile pinnae
with lamina very narrow, almost absent
3.
Struthiopteris
乌毛蕨属 wu mao jue shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Blechnopsis C. Presl.
Plants terrestrial, moderate-sized or large. Rhizome usually erect or ascending, stout, dictyostelic, densely scaly; scales dark brown to brown, glossy, lanceolate, entire, basally attached. Fronds clustered, long stipitate; stipe robust, scaly at base, above naked; lamina pinnate, with reduced auricular lower pinnae, leathery; pinnae entire, linear, margin entire or serrulate; terminal pinna entire, similar to lateral pinnae; veins free, parallel, simple or forked. Sori linear, forming long coenosori adjacent and parallel to costa; indusium attached to commissure, facing toward costa; annulus longitudinal, interrupted, of 1428 cells. Spores elliptic, usually smooth, with perispore.
Up to 200 species including species of Struthiopteris, which is usually synonymized under Blechnum: pantropical; one species in China.
In an unpublished molecular phylogeny, Blechnum is a paraphyletic genus, and B. orientale is neither included in Blechnum s.s., typified by B. occidentale Linnaeus, nor in Struthiopteris s.s., represented by B. spicant (Linnaeus) Roth (type) and relatives. Smith et al. (Taxon 55: 716. 2006) and Christenhusz et al. (Phytotaxa 19: 4849. 2011) include the three following genera, Blechnidium, Struthiopteris, and Diploblechnum, within Blechnum.
乌毛蕨 wu mao jue
Blechnopsis orientalis (Linnaeus) C. Presl.
Rhizome dark brown, erect, short, densely scaly; scales dark brown at center, brown near margin, narrowly linear, ca. 1 cm, entire. Stipe 1060 cm, 310 mm in diam., base dark brown and covered with scales as rhizome; lamina imparipinnate, monomorphic, ovate-lanceolate, 55100 Χ 2060 cm, subleathery; pinnae numerous, close, alternate; lower ones contracted to small rounded auricles, 0.31 cm; upper ones oblique, distant, linear or linear-lanceolate, 1030 Χ 0.81.8 cm, base sessile, rounded or subtruncate, or adnate, decurrent to rachis on basiscopic side, gradually narrowed to acuminate apex, terminal pinna similar to middle pinnae; veins free, parallel, simple or forked near costa, close. 2n = 66.
Exposed shrubby or low hillsides; 2001000 m. Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan; tropical Asia, Australia, Pacific islands].
Plants with cristate apices to the lateral pinnae have been called Blechnum orientale var. cristatum (冠羽乌毛蕨 guan yu wu mao jue). The name appears to be invalid. It has been ascribed to J. Smith but is not mentioned in the collation indicated in FRPS (Seemann, Bot. Voy. Herald 10: 427. 1857, mistakenly cited as Bot. Beechey Voy. 1), which refers only to B. orientalis.
乌木蕨属 wu mu jue shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Plants epiphytic, small to moderate-sized. Rhizome creeping, dark brown, dictyostelic, densely scaly; scales rufous, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate. Fronds distant, long stipitate; stipe grooved adaxially, sparsely scaly at base; lamina pectinately pinnatisect, lanceolate in outline, subleathery, both surfaces glabrous; pinnae adnate, oblong, margin entire, apex subacute or obtuse; lower few pairs of pinnae shorter; veins anastomosing with 13 rows of areoles. Sori linear, forming coenosori adjacent and parallel to costa; indusium attached to commissure, facing toward costa. Spores elliptic, with perispore.
One species: China, India, Myanmar.
Blechnidium is most closely related to Struthiopteris and isolated from the rest. It is included within Blechnum by Christenhusz et al. (Phytotaxa 19: 34. 2011).
乌木蕨 wu mu jue
Blechnum melanopus Hooker, Sp. Fil. 3: 64. 1859; Blechnidium plagiogyriifrons (Hayata) Hayata; Blechnum plagiogyriifrons Hayata.
Rhizome dark brown, long creeping, ca. 3 mm in diam., densely scaly; scales rufous, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, membranous, subentire, acuminate or fibriform. Fronds distant, long stipitate; stipe dark brown, 1225 cm, ca. 1 mm in diam., grooved adaxially, sparsely scaly at base; lamina brownish green when dry, lanceolate, 1525 Χ 37 cm, subleathery, both surfaces glabrous, gradually narrowed to base, pectinate, acuminate; pinnae 1525 pairs, adnate; middle ones oblong, usually subfalcate, 1.55 Χ 0.51 cm, entire, subacute or obtuse; lower pinnae shortened, 0.41.3 cm; veins inconspicuous, anastomosing with 13 rows of hexagonal areoles. Sori linear, adjacent and parallel to costa; indusium attached to commissure, linear, facing toward costa. Spores elliptic, with perispore.
Epiphytic on tree trunks or lithophytic in forests; 8002800 m. Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Myanmar].
荚囊蕨属 jia lang jue shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Plants lithophytic. Rhizome erect or ascending, short, dictyostelic, scaly; scales brown, linear or lanceolate, entire. Fronds tufted, ± dimorphic, often shortly stipitate; lamina pectinately pinnatisect, oblanceolate in outline, narrowed downward, leathery; pinnae spreading, oblong-subtriangular, base decurrent to rachis wing, margin entire; lower pinnae much shorter; veins inconspicuous, free, furcate, basal ones always trifurcate, not reaching lamina margin. Sori linear, forming coenosori adjacent and parallel to costa; indusium facing toward costa, thinly papery, covering young sporangia, opening when mature; spores elliptic, perispore corrugated. 2n = 62, 68.
About ten species: mainly distributed in temperate areas of the N Hemisphere and Australia; two species (one endemic) in China.
Struthiopteris is included with Blechnum by Christenhusz et al. (Phytotaxa 19: 39. 2011).
1a. Sterile lamina 25 cm wide; stipe 324 cm ........................................................ 1. S. eburnea
1b. Sterile lamina 58 cm wide; stipe almost absent ............................................... 2. S. hancockii
荚囊蕨 jia lang jue
Rhizome erect and short, or ascending and long, densely scaly; scales brown, lanceolate, 56 mm, thickly membranous, margin entire or with few teeth, apex fibriform. Fronds tufted, dimorphic; stipe stramineous, almost absent or 324 cm, 12 mm in diam., base scaly, glabrous upward; lamina pectinate-pinnatisect, dark green or brown when dry, linear-oblanceolate, 1545 cm, 25(8) cm above middle, thickly leathery, glabrous; pinnae 2040 pairs, spreading, lower ones gradually shortened, basal pair small auriculate; upper pinnae oblong, 1.53 Χ ca. 0.5 cm, base adnate to rachis, entire, slight narrowed to apex, slightly reflexed, spreading, close or distant; veins inconspicuous, pinnate, furcate, not reaching lamina margin; rachis stramineous, glabrous, shallowly grooved adaxially. Fertile lamina as long as but narrower than sterile lamina. Sori linear, from near costa to near laminar margin, single on either side of costa. 2n = 66*.
* On rocks or limestone; 5002200 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Taiwan.
1a. Lamina to 5 cm wide; pinnae acute ..................................................................... 1a. var. eburnea
1b. Lamina to 3 cm wide; pinnae obtuse or rounded ................................................... 1b. var. obtusa
荚囊蕨(原变种) jia lang jue (yuan bian zhong)
Blechnum eburneum Christ, Bull. Acad. Int. Gιogr. Bot. 11: 233. 1902; Lomaria eburnea (Christ) Ching; Spicantopsis eburnea (Christ) Tagawa.
Lamina to 5 cm wide; pinnae acute.
* On rocks or limestone; 5001800 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan.
天长罗蔓蕨 tian chang luo wan jue
Spicantopsis eburnea var. obtusa Tagawa, Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 9: 88. 1940.
Lamina to 3 cm wide; pinnae obtuse or rounded.
* On limestone of C mountains; (?800)12002200 m. Taiwan.
宽叶荚囊蕨 kuan ye jia lang jue
Blechnum hancockii Hance, J. Bot. 21: 267. 1883; Lomaria apodophylla Baker; L. hancockii (Hance) Baker; Spicantopsis hancockii (Hance) Masamune; S. niponica (Kunze) Nakai var. hancockii (Hance) Nakai.
Rhizome erect, short, densely scaly; scales dark brown, linear, ca. 1.5 cm, membranous, entire, apex subulate. Fronds tufted, subdimorphic with fertile lamina narrower than sterile lamina, subsessile or shortly stipitate; lamina pectinate-pinnatisect, brown when dry, elliptic or oblanceolate, broadest at or above middle, 3040 Χ 58 cm, thickly leathery, glabrous, base gradually narrowed with small auricles, apex acuminate or acute; pinnae 2040 pairs, spreading, close or distant, linear-oblong, slightly falcate, largest 2.54 Χ ca. 0.5 cm, in fertile fronds 1.53 Χ ca. 0.3 cm, base adnate to rachis, entire, apex acute, slightly reflexed when dry; veins inconspicuous, pinnate, furcate, ending in submarginal fusiform hydathodes; rachis brown or stramineous, shallowly grooved adaxially, sparsely scaly; scales brown, lanceolate. Sori linear, single on either side of costa, occupying most of pinna lamina.
Forests. Taiwan [Japan].
扫把蕨属 sao ba jue shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Tree ferns, terrestrial. Stem black, erect, dictyostelic, covered with stubs of persistent frond bases, apex densely scaly; scales dark brown, narrowly triangular-lanceolate, entire. Fronds tufted, shortly stipitate; stipe scaly; lamina bipinnatifid, elliptic-lanceolate in outline, narrowed downward, papery, both surfaces glabrous, apex acuminate; pinnae pinnatifid, oblong-lanceolate, base decurrent to narrow rachis wing with triangular lobes between pinnae, margin entire, apex acuminate; lower pinnae much shorter, basal ones triangular auricules; lobes oblong or triangular-oblong, margin entire, apex acute; veins free, pinnate, secondary veins 2- or 3-furcate, not reaching lamina margin; rachis and costae grooved adaxially. Fertile lamina as large as sterile lamina, slightly narrowed, pinnae caudate. Sori linear, costal, adjacent and parallel to costules on straight unbranched fertile veins parallel to costa; indusia facing toward costa, thin, covering young sporangia, opening when mature; spore reniform.
One species: distributed in Taiwan and SE Asian and Pacific islands.
The genus Diploblechnum is an ingroup of Blechnum (R. Cranfill, Y. Nakahira & M. Kato, unpubl. data), although the two are distinct morphologically.
扫把蕨 sao ba jue
Lomaria fraseri A. Cunningham, Companion Bot. Mag. 2: 364. 1836; Blechnum fraseri (A. Cunningham) Luerssen; B. integripinnulum Hayata; Diploblechnum integripinnulum (Hayata) Hayata; L. fraseri var. philippinensis Christ; Struthiopteris fraseri (A. Cunningham) Hayata; S. integripinnulum (Hayata) Hayata.
Stem black, up to ca. 0.8 m tall, 12 cm in diam., covered with stubs of persistent frond bases, apex densely scaly; scales dark brown, narrowly triangular-lanceolate, ca. 1 cm, entire, subulate. Fronds tufted; stipe ca. 3 cm; lamina bipinnatifid, elliptic-lanceolate in outline, narrowed downward, up to 40 Χ 1014 cm, papery, both surfaces glabrous; pinnae to 30 pairs, pinnatifid, oblong-lanceolate, 6.58.5 Χ 1.41.8 cm, bases decurrent with triangular lobes between, apex acuminate; lower pinnae much shorter, basal ones triangular auricules; lobes 1315 pairs, oblong or triangular-oblong, up to 9 Χ 3 mm, margin entire, apex acute. Fertile lamina as large as sterile lamina, slightly narrowed, pinnae caudate. Sori linear, adjacent and parallel to costules; indusia brown.
Cloud forests, damp and somewhat exposed path sides; 12002000 m. SE Taiwan [Indonesia (Borneo), Malaysia, Philippines; Pacific islands (New Zealand)].
苏铁蕨属 su tie jue shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Tree ferns, terrestrial. Stem erect, very stout, dictyostelic, woody, apex scaly; scales rufous, linear, membranous, acuminate. Fronds clustered in terminal crown, slightly dimorphic; stipe with basal part scaly; lamina pinnate, elliptic-lanceolate in outline, leathery, abaxially with some small scales along costa and veins; pinnae opposite or alternate, subsessile, entire, linear to narrowly oblong; basal pinnae slightly shorter; veins free, simple or 1- or 2-forked, except for costal row of subtriangular areoles; fertile pinnae somewhat shorter, margin sometimes irregularly lobed; rachis grooved adaxially. Sori borne on costal veins, abundant, covering whole abaxial surface of pinnae when mature, indusium absent. 2n = 66.
One species: widely distributed in tropical Asia.
The monotypic genus Brainea is isolated from the rest of the family.
苏铁蕨 su tie jue
Bowringia insignis Hooker, Hookers J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 5: 237. 1853; Brainea formosana Hayata; B. insignis var. formosana (Hayata) Tagawa.
Stem blackish brown, erect, stout, up to ca. 1 m tall, 1015 cm in diam., woody, apex scaly; scales rufous, linear, up to 3 cm, membranous, acuminate. Fronds clustered in terminal crown, slightly dimorphic; stipe brownish stramineous, 1030 cm, basal part scaly; lamina pinnate, elliptic-lanceolate, 50100 cm, slightly narrowed downward, leathery, abaxially with some small scales along costa and veins; pinnae 3055 pairs, opposite or alternate, subsessile, linear to narrowly oblong; middle pinnae 1015 Χ 0.71.2 cm, base asymmetrical, subauriculate, margin serrulate; basal pinnae slightly shortened; veins free, simple or 1- or 2-forked, except for costal row of areoles subtriangular; fertile pinnae somewhat shorter, margin sometimes irregularly lobed; rachis stramineous, grooved adaxially. Sori borne on costal veins, exindusiate, abundant, covering whole abaxial surface of pinnae when mature. 2n = 66.
Damp and exposed hillsides; 3001700 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, C Taiwan, Yunnan [tropical regions of Asia].
狗脊属 gou ji shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Plants terrestrial, of moderate to large size. Rhizome erect or ascending, sometimes creeping, stout, dictyostelic, densely scaly; scales brown, non-clathrate, basally attached. Fronds tufted, long stipitate; lamina deeply bipinnatifid, lower part often pinnate, elliptic in outline, papery or thinly leathery; pinnae pinnatifid, narrowly oblong in outline, gradually becoming narrowly triangular-ovate, sometimes stalked, glabrous, margin entire or serrulate; veins anastomosing to form a series of areoles along costae and costules, free to margin, simple or forked. Sori discrete, linear, elliptic, or crescent-shaped, occupying costular areoles, discrete, attached to outer areole-forming veins, superficial or sunken; indusia dark brown, facing toward costa, thickly papery; sporangia with long stalk, annulus of 1724 thickened cells. Spores elliptic, perispore rugose.
About ten species: distributed in temperate to tropical areas in Asia, Central and North America, and Europe; five species in China.
1a. Rachis with large subterminal bulbils on rachis ............................................ 1. W. unigemmata
1b. Rachis without such bulbils.
2a. Base of lower pinnae asymmetrical with 13 basiscopic lobes lacking; sori sunken, crescent-shaped or elliptic.
3a. Lamina 3545 cm; base of lower pinnae lacking 1 basiscopic lobe; lobes acute or acuminate 2. W. orientalis
3b. Lamina 35120 cm; base of lower pinnae lacking 13 basiscopic lobes; lobes acuminate or caudate 3. W. prolifera
2b. Base of lower pinnae ± symmetrical, basal pairs of lobes shortened or slightly so; sori not sunken, linear.
4a. Basal pairs of lobes shortened, apex obtuse ................................................ 4. W. japonica
4b. Basal pairs of lobes slightly shortened, lanceolate, apex acute .................... 5. W. magnifica
顶芽狗脊 ding ya gou ji
Woodwardia radicans (Linnaeus) Smith var. unigemmata Makino, J. Jap. Bot. 2(2): 7. 1918; W. himalaica Ching & S. K. Wu; W. latiloba Ching & P. S. Chiu; W. maxima Ching; W. yunnanensis Ching & P. S. Chiu.
Rhizome decumbent, dark brown, stout, up to 3 cm in diam., densely scaly; scales brown, lanceolate, 2.22.7 cm, membranous, entire, apex long acuminate. Stipes tufted, 30100 cm, 58 mm in diam., base densely scaly; upper part of stipe and rachis with fewer brown, fibriform scales; lamina deeply bipinnatifid, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, 30100 Χ 2060 cm, leathery; pinnae 715 pairs, subsessile or shortly stalked, broadly lanceolate; middle pinnae 1535 Χ 412 cm, cut 3/4 way to costa, base rounded-truncate, unequal, apex caudate; lobes 1420 pairs, close, oblique, oblong-lanceolate, sometimes falcate, lower pairs of lobes slightly shortened, middle lobes 16 Χ 0.81.2 cm, margin serrulate with sharp, long teeth; veins anastomosing with 2 or 3 rows of areoles along costae and costules, marginally free, simple or forked. Bulbils single or multiple, large, scaly, subterminal below rachis tip at base of upper pinna. Sori occupying costular areoles, oblong, sunken in rimmed depressions; indusia attached to outer vein, dark brown, thickly membranous. 2n = 68.
In shrubs by roadsides, forests; 4003000 m. Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Japan, Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam].
东方狗脊 dong fang gou ji
Rhizome decumbent, dark brown, stout, densely scaly; scales dark brown, lanceolate, 14 cm, entire, membranous, apex fibriform. Stipes close, 2055 cm, 36 mm in diam., base densely scaly; upper part of stipe and rachis sparsely covered with brown, broadly lanceolate scales; lamina deeply bipinnatifid, brown or slightly green when dry, ovate, 3545(70) Χ 1545 cm, leathery, glabrous, base rounded-truncate, apex acuminate; pinnae 68 pairs, shortly stalked, lanceolate; lower and middle pinnae 1030 Χ 49 cm, deeply pinnatifid to 23(4) mm from costa, base asymmetrical with 1 basiscopic lobe lacking, apex acuminate, basal pinnae shortened; lobes 1018 pairs, close, oblique, oblong, 35.5(7) Χ 0.81(1.3) cm, usually broadest at base, margin cuspidately serrulate, apex acute or acuminate; veins obvious, anastomosing to form 1 row of areoles along costae and 2 or 3 rows of discrete, polygonal areoles, remainder free to margin, simple or forked. Small bulblets borne on adaxial surfaces of pinna lobes or not. Sori occupying costular areoles, crescent-shaped or elliptic, sunken in rimmed depressions; indusia dark brown, thickly papery. 2n = 136.
Roadsides, mountain slopes; ca. 500 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan, Philippines].
珠芽狗脊 zhu ya gou ji
Woodwardia angustiloba Hance; W. exaltata Nakai; W. orientalis Swartz var. formosana Rosenstock; W. orientalis var. prolifera (Hooker & Arnott) Ching.
Rhizome decumbent, dark brown, stout, densely scaly; scales red-brown, lanceolate, 24 cm, membranous, entire or with a few teeth, fibriform. Stipes close, 30110 cm, 315 mm in diam., base densely scaly; upper part of stipe and rachis sparsely covered with brown, broadly lanceolate scales, surface rough with scale scars; lamina deeply bipinnatifid, brown or slightly green when dry, oblong-ovate or elliptic, 35120 Χ 3040 cm, leathery, glabrous, apex acuminate; pinnae 59(13) pairs, shortly stalked, lanceolate; lower and middle pinnae 1030 Χ 49 cm, deeply pinnatifid to 12 mm from costa, base asymmetrical with 13 basiscopic lobes lacking, apex long acuminate or caudate; lobes 1014(24) pairs, close or separate, oblique, oblong-lanceolate, 37(9) Χ 0.50.9 cm, slightly narrowed to base, margin cuspidately serrulate, occasionally lobed, apex long acuminate or caudate; veins obvious, anastomosing with 1 row of areoles along costae and 2 or 3 rows of discrete, polygonal areoles, free distally, simple or forked. Leaf-bearing bulbils small and usually abundant on adaxial surfaces of pinna lobes. Sori occupying costular areoles, crescent-shaped or elliptic, sunken in rimmed depressions; indusia dark brown, thickly papery. 2n = 68.
Mountain slopes, open and wet places in sparse forests, near streams; 1001100 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan].
Herbarium and field observations of Woodwardia prolifera show that there is ecological variation in the frequency of bulblets on the lamina; some mature fronds are not bulbiferous.
The name Woodwardia radicans (Linnaeus) Smith var. prolifera C. Christensen, Index Filic. 658. 1905 (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 12: 244. 1974 and FPRS (4(2): 201. 1999) appears to be a mistaken joining of the end of one line = W. radicans var. with the beginning of another, the next species in the list, prolifera.
狗脊 gou ji
Blechnum japonicum Linnaeus f., Suppl. Pl. 445. 1782; Woodwardia affinis Ching & P. S. Chiu; W. intermedia Christ; W. japonica var. contigua Ching & P. S. Chiu; W. omeiensis Ching ex P. S. Chiu.
Rhizome decumbent, dark brown, stout, 35 cm in diam., densely scaly; scales dark brown, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, ca. 1.5 cm, membranous, entire, apex acuminate, sometimes fibriform. Stipes close, 1570 cm, 58 mm in diam., base densely scaly; upper part of stipe and rachis sparsely covered with brown, fibriform scales; lamina bipinnatifid, elliptic or lanceolate, 2585 Χ 1845 cm, leathery, apex acuminate; pinnae 715 pairs, subsessile or shortly stalked, broadly lanceolate; middle pinnae 1225 Χ 24 cm, base acroscopically truncate, basiscopically rounded, cut 1/2 way to costa, apex acuminate; lobes 1116 pairs, close, oblique, hemielliptic or hemiovate, lowest pair shortened, basiscopic lobe rounded, ovate or auriculate, 510 mm, apex rounded; middle lobes 1.32.2 Χ 0.71 cm, margin serrulate, apex acute; veins anastomosing with 2 or 3 rows of areoles along costae and costules, distally free, simple or forked. Sori occupying costular areoles, discrete, linear, sunken; indusia brown. 2n = 68.
Ridges, exposed slopes, shaded forests; 3001500 m. Widely distributed south of the Chang Jiang and in Taiwan [Japan, Korea, Vietnam].
Woodwardia japonica is variable in the length, number, and arrangement of the pinnae and in the shape of the pinna lobes.
滇南狗脊 dian nan gou ji
Rhizome decumbent, dark brown, stout, densely scaly; scales brown or dark brown, lanceolate, ca. 1.5 cm, membranous, entire, apex fibriform. Stipes close, brown-stramineous, 3576 cm, 610 mm in diam., base densely scaly, sparsely scaly upward; lamina bipinnatifid, brown or brown-green when dry, oblong-ovate, 6095 Χ 3065 cm, leathery, glabrous, apex long acuminate; pinnae 1315 pairs, alternate or lower ones opposite, oblique, subsessile or shortly stalked, basal pair slightly shortened; middle ones linear-lanceolate, 3035 Χ 48 cm, base rounded-truncate or rounded-cuneate, pinnatifid, apex caudate-acuminate; lobes 2022 pairs, alternate, lower ones slightly shortened; middle one longest, lanceolate or narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 2.65 Χ 11.5 cm, margin serrulate, apex acute; veins obvious, anastomosing with 1 row of areoles along rachis, costae, and costules, distally simple or forked, ending in submarginal fusiform hydathodes; rachis or costae densely covered with brown, fibriform, deciduous scales. Sori occupying costular areoles, linear, discrete; indusia dark brown.
Near forests, roadsides; 14001600 m. Yunnan [Vietnam].
祟澍蕨属 chong shu jue shu
Wang Faguo (王发国), Xing Fuwu (邢福武); Masahiro Kato
Plants terrestrial, of small to moderate size. Rhizome long creeping, dark brown, apex covered with brown, lanceolate scales. Fronds distant, long stipitate; lamina simple, trifid, or deeply pinnatifid, thickly papery or subleathery, glabrous; pinnae (or lobes) 15 pairs, lanceolate, base slightly narrowed, apex acuminate, terminal pinnae, if any, similar to but longer than lateral ones; veins anastomosing with 3 or 4 rows of areoles, marginal veins free. Sori oblong or linear, borne along costal and costular areoles; indusia facing toward costa, dark brown, linear-oblong, papery. Spores elliptic, perispore rugose, granular.
Two species: China, Japan, Vietnam; two species in China.
Chieniopteris is treated as a section of the genus Woodwardia by Cranfill and Kato (in Subhash Chandra and Mrittunjai Srivastava, eds., Pteridol. New Millennium, 2548. 2003).
1a. Lamina simple or imparipinnate with 14 pairs of lateral pinnae and longer terminal pinna 1. C. harlandii
1b. Lamina pinnatifid, with pinnatifid apex, lateral pinnae 57 pairs, ± lobed ............... 2. C. kempii
祟澍蕨 chong shu jue
Woodwardia harlandii Hooker, Fil. Exot. t. 7. 1857; Lorinseria harlandii (Hooker) J. Smith.
Rhizome long creeping, dark brown, 46 mm in diam., densely scaly; scales brown, lanceolate, 46 mm, membranous, margin entire or with few hairlike teeth. Fronds distant, subdimorphic with fertile lobes narrower than sterile lobes, 30120 cm; stipe 1280 cm, base dark brown, scaly; lamina simple, ternate, or deeply pinnatifid, gray-green or brown when dry, thickly papery or subleathery, glabrous; pinnae (or lobes) 14 pairs, opposite, 45 cm apart, lanceolate, base adnate to rachis and decurrent, margin entire or undulate, usually reflexed when dry, apex acuminate; basal pinnae 2029 Χ 23 cm, upper pinnae shortened, terminal pinna similar to but longer and broader than lateral ones; rachis wing often very narrow or lacking between basal pinnae; veins anastomosing with 1 row of costal areoles, 2 or 3 rows of hexagonal areoles, marginal veins free. Sori linear, interrupted, 1022 mm, borne along costal and costular areoles; indusia rufous when mature, papery.
Valleys, damp forests; 4001300 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, S Hunan, Taiwan [Japan, Vietnam].
裂羽祟澍蕨 lie yu chong shu jue
Woodwardia kempii Copeland, Philipp. J. Sci., C, 3: 280. 1908; W. harlandii Hooker var. takeoi (Hayata) Masamune; W. heteropinnata B. S. Wang; W. takeoi Hayata.
Rhizome long creeping, dark brown, 47 mm in diam., densely scaly; scales brown, lanceolate, 45 mm, membranous, entire, apex acuminate. Fronds distant, subdimorphic, fertile fronds larger and more deeply dissected than sterile fronds; stipe 3070 cm, base dark brown, densely scaly, upward sparsely scaly and glabrous, brown-stramineous; lamina brown when dry, deltoid-ovate, 1326 Χ 1128 cm, subleathery, glabrous, base rounded-truncate, apex acuminate; sterile lamina pinnatifid, basal lobes largest, lanceolate, 6.510 Χ 12.5 cm, base slightly narrowed, united with broad wing, margin serrulate, apex acuminate; fertile lamina bipinnatifid; pinnae 57 pairs, opposite, oblique or basal pair subspreading, pinnatifid; basal pair largest, elliptic-lanceolate, 1120 Χ 4.510 cm, base narrowed, sessile or shortly stalked, ca. 3 cm apart from above, pinnatipartite to broad wing of costa, apex acuminate; middle lobes lanceolate or linear, 89 Χ 1.21.5 cm, margin irregularly undulate or lobed, entire, or with irregular and distant serrae, basal lobes much shortened or rounded-auriculate; veins inconspicuous but midvein prominent on both surfaces, anastomosing with 1 row of long, narrow areoles along costa, secondary veins anastomosing with 2 rows of areoles, free near margin. Sori linear, 517 mm, borne in costal, rachis, or midvein areoles; indusium dark brown when mature, papery.
Forests, damp forests, along ridges. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, N Taiwan [Japan].
光叶藤蕨属 guang ye teng jue shu
Dong Shiyong (董仕勇); Masahirao Kato
Terrestrial and climbing plants. Rhizome creeping or climbing, stout, terete, meristelic, with 40 or more vascular bundles in 3 circles, scaly only at apex; scales brown to blackish, rounded, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, margin uneven, peltate, caducous. Fronds distant, strongly dimorphic, stipe glabrous except when very young; lamina imparipinnate, leathery or stiffly papery, both surfaces glabrous; sterile pinnae broadly lanceolate, articulate to rachis (apical pinna not articulate), shortly stalked, with single gland on base of each costa, margin sharply toothed; veins anastomosing, forming single row of areoles along each side of costa, other veins free; fertile pinnae linear, lamina very reduced, margin entire. Sporangia acrostichoid, covering whole abaxial surface of fertile pinnae. Spores ellipsoidal, with prominent tubercles on distal face. Χ = 37.
Six species: Africa, Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands; one species in China.
Stenochlaena is exceptional because of its distinct stele type. Ching (1978) gave it family status and placed it after the Acrostichaceae. Kramer (1990) treated it as a subfamily within the Blechnaceae based on its venation, stomata, spores, and gametophyte, which agree best with the Blechnaceae. Recent molecular data show that Stenochlaena forms a clade with blechnoides such as Blechnum indicum N. Burman and Salpichlaena J. Smith.
光叶藤蕨 guang ye teng jue
Polypodium palustre Burman, Fl. Ind. 234. 1768; Acrostichum palustre Clarke; A. scandens Hooker; Chrisodium palustre Luerssen; Lomaria scandens Willdenow; Lomariopsis scandens Mettenius; Olfersia scandens C. Presl; Onoclea scandens Swartz; Stenochlaena hainanensis Ching & P. S. Chiu; S. scandens J. Smith.
Stems long creeping and climbing; scales at apex of rhizome dark brown to black, rounded, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, ca. 1 mm in diam., caducous. Fronds distant, dimorphic. Stipe 1080 cm, glabrous; lamina 1-pinnate, oblong in outline, 5080 Χ 2030 cm; lateral pinnae 816 pairs, terminal pinna similar; pinnae very shortly stalked, articulate to rachis; sterile pinnae broadly lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, (10)1520 Χ 24.5 cm, varying much in size and shape, leathery or stiffly papery, surface smooth and glossy, base broadly cuneate, margin sharply and irregularly serrate, apex acuminate or sometimes caudate; fertile pinnae 1020 Χ 0.10.5 cm, linear. Veins simple or forked, forming single row of narrow costal areoles. Sori acrostichoid, covering whole abaxial surface of fertile pinnae. 2n = 148.
Secondary forests, open places; near sea level to 400 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam; Australia, Pacific islands].