Hypodematium crenatum (Forssk.) Kuhn

Species

Pteridophytes > Polypodiales > Hypodematiaceae > Hypodematium

Characteristics

Rhizome thick, short, horizontally creeping in dry rock crevices of limestone cliff, densely covered with crispy scales of c. 6-10 by 2-3 mm that are broadly basally attached, mixed with unicellular hairs, with roots on the lower side, leaves close together, distichous, the swollen base of the stipe, 5-6 mm high and 2-4 mm diam., arranged in two close lateral rows on each side of rhizome and densely covered by a cushion like mass of clear red-brown, lanceolate imbricate thin scales like those on the rhizome, their insertion not extending beyond the articulated top of the thickened base. Stipe stramineous, 10-25 cm long. Lamina 8-15 by 6-15 cm, thin, flat when dry, more or less 5-sided deltoid, acuminate, decompound, 3-4 pinnate, basal pinnae the largest, deltoid, anadromous, much produced on the basiscopic side; basal segments of the upper pinnae (nearly) opposite; venation free, pinnate; the whole surface, rhachises and veins bearing numerous acicular hairs. Sori dorsal on the veinlets, rounded, indusium membranaceous, rounded or reniform, attached to the receptacle by its base, pilose and ciliate; receptacle large, prominent; sporangia often with some hairs; spores bilateral, opaque, globular, coarsely verrucose.
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Rhizome short, set with dense, concolorous ferrugineous, entire rhizome-scales c. 10 mm long. Fronds herbaceous; stipe stramineous, up to 120 mm long; lamina ovate-deltate, up to 330 x 300 mm, 4-pinnatifid; pinnae oblong acute towards apex, unequally deltate-ovate basally, up to 220 mm long; pinnules of upper pinnae and basiscopic pinnule segments of basal pinnae up to 20 x 9 mm, deeply pinnatifid into oblong obtuse, crenate lobes, pilose with unicellular hairs on both surfaces; rhachis stramineous, pilose. Sori up to 12 per pinnule (or pinnule segment of basal pinna), 1-1.5 mm in diameter; indusium reniform, pilose with straight white unicellular hairs.
Rhizome creeping, densely set with lanceolate-acuminate rhizome scales. Indusia reniform, densely pilose with long white unicellular hairs. Upper surface of costae pilose with unicellular hairs. Lamina ovate-deltate, up to 330 x 300 mm. Sori up to 12 per pinnule.
A fern with a creeping rhizome. It has a dense covering of bright brown scales. These are narrow and pointed. The stipe is 25 cm long. It is grooved and naked except at the base. The blade is delta shaped.
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Growth form herb
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Root system rhizome
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Environment

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows between 600-2000 m altitude. It grows on sandy cliffs and cracks in limestone areas. In southern China it grows from sea level to 1,800 m above sea level.
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In dry limestone crevices.
Light -
Soil humidity 4-6
Soil texture 5-9
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Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

The young curled fronds are occasionally eaten.
Uses medicinal
Edible fronds leaves
Therapeutic use Anti-bacterial agents (rhizome)
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Cultivation

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Distribution

Hypodematium crenatum world distribution map, present in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, and South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:17126060-1
WFO ID wfo-0001108318
COL ID 6MRKL
BDTFX ID 125510
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Hypodematium crenatum

Lower taxons

Hypodematium crenatum subsp. loyalii Hypodematium crenatum subsp. mehrae