Family

Polypodiaceae

Nomenclature

Leptochilus axillaris (Cav.) Kaulf., Enum. Fil.: 147, t. 1, f. 10. 1824; Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. 4: 346. 1933; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 499. 1941; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: 164, f. 75. 1955 [‘1954’]; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 542, f. 54.6. 1989; Nooteboom, Blumea 42: 278. 1997; Nooteboom, Fl. Males., Ser. II, Ferns and Fern Allies 3: 82. 1998; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 276. 2000. – Acrostichum axillare Cav., Ann. Hist. Nat. 1: 101. 1799. – Gymnopteris variabilis var. axillaris (Cav.) Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 430. 1883.

Description

Rhizome long creeping on tree trunks, more or less flattened, about 1.5–3.5 mm broad, sparsely scaly, fronds 0.3–8 cm apart; scales peltate, small, 0.5–2 by about 0.1–0.5 mm, ovate with long tails, dark, clathrate, entire or minutely dentate. Fronds dimorphic. Stipes winged nearly to the base, (2–)4–7(–9) cm long but indistinct from the base of laminae. Sterile laminae simple, entire, lanceolate, broadest round middle, gradually narrowing towards both base and apex, acuminate at apex, attenuate at base, 9–35 by 1.1–5.5(–6.5) cm, herbaceous, glabrous, green to dark green; veins more or less visible, lateral main veins not distinct, forming copious anastomosis. Fertile laminae linear, 15–30 by 0.1–0.3(–0.5) cm. Sori covering the whole of the under surface of linear fertile laminae. Spores monolete .

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phrae, Tak; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi.

Wider Distribution

S India, N India, Bangladesh, Burma, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Philippines, New Guinea.

Ecology

Epiphytic on tree trunks in evergreen forests at medium altitudes.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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