Family

Aspleniaceae

Nomenclature

Asplenium rockii C.Chr., Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 26: 332, pl. 27. 1931; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 88. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 290, f. 23.2. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 177. 2000.

Asplenium sp.: Holttum, Dansk Bot. Ark. 23: 29. 1967.

Description

Epiphytic. Rhizome short, creeping or ascending; scales narrowly subtriangular, gradually narrowing towards hair-pointed apex, about 4 by 0.5 mm, dark brown to nearly black, clathrate, entire or bearing irregular projections. Stipes up to 5 cm long, with dense patent scales, stramineous to darker. Laminae bipinnate to tripinnatifid, narrowly elliptic, acute at apex, narrowing towards base, up to 20 by 4.5 cm; rachis densely scaly throughout; pinnae 20 or more pairs, elliptic-subdeltoid, acute to truncate at apex, cuneate at base, with larger basal acroscopic pinnules, subsessile, up to 2.3 by 1.2 cm; costa winged, about 0.7 mm broad, minutely scaly below, pinnules about 5 pairs, spathulate, cuneate at base, with 2–4 teeth at apex, up to 7 by 3.5 mm; ultimate lobes (or teeth of pinnules) one-nerved, about 0.5 mm broad, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, edges usually revolute, with narrow scales on axes and veins, glabrous on laminar surfaces, green to deep green. Sori elliptic, usually one to each segment, indusia pale, thin.

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai; NORTH-EASTERN: Loei.

Wider Distribution

NE India, Burma, S China.

Ecology

On lower level of tree-trunks, usually in dense moist forests at medium to high altitudes.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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