Lomariopsis Fée

Rhizome climbing, broad, rooting on ventral surface only and bearing several rows (to 5 or 6) of fronds on upper surface, densely scaly on younger parts; scales thin, brown, to 10 by 3 mm, base peltate (or cordate?), edges ± fringed with hairs, lateral cell-walls not thickened; vascular system dorsiventric, showing in transverse section a broadly U-shaped ventral Strand and above this a half-ring of wedge-shaped bundles with narrow leaf-gaps between them (Fig. 1c). Stipe gradually decurrent at base to a ridge on rhizome, free part containing an open ring of c. 10 vascular strands, surface scaly when young; fronds simply pinnate, pinnae entire, jointed to rachis, terminal lamina pinna-like but not jointed; veins free, usually uniting with the (non-vascular) cartilaginous margin; surface when young bearing scattered minute fimbriate scales. Pinnae of fertile fronds much narrower than sterile, their lower surface completely covered with sporangia and small scales as on sterile pinnae; spores large, with copious folded perispore. Young plants: rhizome slender, bearing fronds in 2 rows; in Malesian spp. fronds simple and usually entire, successively larger to about 30 cm long, later fronds with smaller apical lamina and an increasing number of pinnae; fertile fronds usually not produced until the rhizome is of adult size and has climbed 2 m or more above ground.

Plants of primary evergreen forest; prothalli growing on the ground or on exposed roots of trees, the slender rhizome creeping until it meets a tree-trunk, up which it climbs to 5-10 m, retaining a root-system in the ground. As the rhizome grows upwards successive fronds are borne in stronger light and less humid air. Fertile fronds are produced as a response to drier conditions according to local climatic change. Pinnae are deciduous but not whole fronds as Teratophyllum. In Luzon M. G. Price has found stunted fertile plants creeping on stones in a stream-bed in a semi-exposed position (see L. lineata).