Family

Pteridaceae, subfamily Vittarioideae

Nomenclature

Antrophyum obovatum Baker, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1898: 233. 1898; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 202. 1940; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 111. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 220. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 133. 2000.

Description

Epiphytic. Rhizome short creeping, bearing several fronds in a tuft, densely scaly; scales linear, gradually narrowing from base towards tailed apex, up to 7 by 1 mm, dark brown, densely toothed at margin. Stipes up to 8 cm long, dark green to dark brown, scaly in lower part. Frond obovate, broadest at about 1/5 part from apex, acuminate to cuspidate at apex, gradually narrowing downwards to narrowly cuneate base, up to 15 by 6 cm, entire but cartilaginous at margin, coriaceous to leathery, green, glabrous; costa indistinct, veins copiously anastomosing. Sori linear, in shallow furrows, usually anastomosing along veins; paraphyses short, club-shaped.

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Chiang Mai.

Wider Distribution

N India, China, Indochina, Taiwan, and as far north as Japan.

Ecology

On mossy tree trunks in lower montane forests at about 1500 m alt.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

Least Concern (LC). This species is common and widespread although not commonly collected in Thailand.

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 5036, Chiang Mai, Doi Ang Khang (E).