Family

Aspleniaceae

Nomenclature

Asplenium batuense Alderw., Bull. Dept. Agric. Indes Neerl. 18: 13. 1908; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: 423, f. 244. 1955 [‘1954’]; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 85. 1965; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 264, f. 21.2,4,5. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 138. 2000.

Asplenium amboinense auct. non Willd.: Bedd., Suppl. Ferns Brit. Ind.: 28. 1892.

Description

Epiphytic or terrestrial. Rhizome short, creeping, sometimes very shortly so, sometimes climbing on trees, up to 1 cm diam., bearing rather close fronds, scaly; scales gradually narrowing from rounded base towards long-acuminate apex, up to 7 by 2 mm, dark brown, clathrate. Stipes about 3 cm long, stramineous, scaly. Laminae simple, about 45 by 7 cm (much larger in Malesian plants), broadest at middle or above, gradually narrowing downwards and suddenly truncate at base where the lamina is 1.5 cm broad at each side, acute at apex, usually proliferous near apex, entire; midrib distinctly raised below with wings, flat above; veins distinct, at wide angle to midrib, simple or forked; chartaceous. Sori on simple acroscopic branches of veins, leaving naked 2–5 mm from midrib and 6–8 mm from edges of frond, covering nearly the whole under surface of frond except for basal and apical portions; indusia about 1 mm broad, brown, firm .

Distribution in Thailand

PENINSULAR: Phangnga, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Yala.

Wider Distribution

Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Peninsular Malaysia and the adjacent islands.

Ecology

Epiphytic on tree-trunks in dense evergreen forests at medium altitudes (600–700 m).

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

Least Concern (LC). This species is widespread and not under any known threats.

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 5445, Phangnga, Sra Nang Manora Forest Park (E).