Family

Polypodiaceae

Nomenclature

Ctenopterella khaoluangensis (Tagawa & K.Iwats.) Parris, Gard. Bull. Singapore 58: 236. 2007; Parris, Fl. Pen. Malaysia, Ser. I, Ferns & Lycoph. 1: 150. 2010. – Xiphopteris khaoluangensis Tagawa & K.Iwats., Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 23: 177, f. 14. 1969; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 587, f. 58.6. 1989; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 295. 2000. – Type: Iwatsuki et al T-14594, Thailand, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Khao Luang (holotype KYO, isotypes K, L).

Xiphoptenis. sp. aff. hieronymusii: Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE Asian Stud. 5: 61. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Acta Phytotax Geobot 23: 53. 1968.

Description

Rhizome short, erect, bearing several fronds in a tuft, scaly; scales ovate-lanceolate, acute, entire, about 2–2.5 by 0.6 mm, membranous, light brown. Stipes short, green or castaneous, narrowly winged to the base, glabrous. Laminae linear, narrowly lanceolate, elliptic, narrowly elliptic or narrowly oblanceolate in outline, gradually narrowing towards both ends, moderately acute at apex, (1.9–)5–8.2 cm by 5–10(–13) mm, deeply pinnatisect; rachis green or castaneous below, round and green above, minutely hairy on lower surface with usually pale, adpressed branched hairs about 0.3 mm in length; laminae entirely lobed to rachis, lobes erect-patent, oblong, moderately acute to acuminate, falcate, slightly curved and entire at lower edge, with a distinct lobule near acroscopic base, about 2–8 by 1–3 mm; lobules subtriangular, acute to acuminate, usually about 1 mm in both length and width; veins once forked, long basiscopic branch in lobe and short acroscopic branch in lobule; coarse to thinly leathery, glabrous. Sori at apex of short acroscopic branch of veins, usually at base of lobules, round , about 1.3 mm diam.

Distribution in Thailand

PENINSULAR: Nakhon Si Thammarat [the inclusion of Yala in the Flora of Thailand was a mistake due to a misunderstanding of the location of Gunong Inas which is in Perak, not in Yala.  Even though it has not been collected in Yala it is likely to occur there]

Wider Distribution

Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.

Ecology

On mossy tree trunks in dense evergreen forests at ridge of high altitudes; rather rare.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

Least Concern (LC). This variety is known only from Khao Luang and from a few sites in Peninsular Malaysia. The extent of occurrence is under 20,000 km2 but at least at the locality in Thailand there are no known threats.  It has been given an assessment of EN B2ab(iii) in the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia.

Notes

Parris, Fl. Pen. Malaysia, Ser. I, Ferns & Lycoph. 1: 150 (2010) reports that hairs may be present on the fronds of this species but we have seen no evidence of this in Thai material.