Family

Lomariopsidaceae

Nomenclature

Nephrolepis falciformis J.Sm., Ferns Brit. For.: 287. 1866; Hovenkamp & Miyamoto, Blumea 50: 303. 2005.

Nephrolepis falcata auct. non (Cav.) C.Chr.: Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 289. 1941; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: .381, f. 221. 1955 [‘1954’]; Holttum, Dansk Bot. Ark. 23: 235. 1965; Ching, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 2: 314, pl. 28, f. 1 & 2. 1959; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 78. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 23: 55. 1968; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 176. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 174, 175, 238. 2000. – Tectaria falcata Cav., Descr. Pl.: 250. 1802.

Description

Rhizome short, suberect, about 5 mm diam., scaly; scales appressed, gradually narrowing from round base to acute apex, bicoloured with nearly black central portion and pale ferrugineous edge, up to 3 by 0.7 mm; runners few, slender at base, long and climbing, sparsely scaly. Stipes stramineous, scaly at lower portion, up to 20 cm long. Laminae up to 80 by 15 cm, gradually narrowing towards both ends, pinnate; lateral pinnae up to 50 or more pairs; middle ones 1.5–2 cm apart, larger, gradually narrowing from base towards apex, falcate, auricled acroscopically, round at basiscopic base, up to 8 by 1.3 cm, very slightly crenate; thin, glabrous. Sori round; indusia up to 8 mm diam., glabrous .

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Lampang, Tak, Phitsanulok; EASTERN: Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi; CENTRAL: Bangkok; SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri, Chanthaburi, Trat; PENINSULAR: Satun, Narathiwat.

Wider Distribution

Sri Lanka, Indochina, Malesia (except Java, Lesser Sunda Islands and Philippines).

Ecology

On rather dry rocks in dense forests at low to medium altitudes.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 5379, Satun, Than Plew Waterfall (E).