Family

Davalliaceae

Nomenclature

Davallodes pulchra (D.Don) M.Kato & Tsutsumi, Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 59: 13. 2008. – Davallia pulchra D.Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.: 11. 1825. – Leucostegia pulchra (D.Don) J.Sm., J. Bot. 1: 426. 1842; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 52, f. 25. 1883; C.Chr., Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 26: 332, pl. 25. 1931; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 114. 1939. – Araiostegia pulchra (D.Don) Copel., Philipp. J. Sci. 34: 241. 1927; Ching, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 2: 288, pl. 21, f. 9–10. 1959; Holttum, Dansk Bot. Ark. 20: 25. 1961; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 77. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 24: 180. 1970; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 154. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 169, 232. 2000.

Description

Rhizome long creeping, about 5 mm diam.; scales dense, oblong, round at both edges, entire or undulate at margin, pale brown or a little darker in central attached portion, thin. Stipes jointed to phyllopodia 1 cm high, stramineous, terete, sparsely scaly on lower part, up to 20 cm long. Laminae oblong to oblong-subtriangular, tri- to quadripinnate, 15–30 by 10–25 cm; all pinnae anadromous; free lateral pinnae about 10–20 pairs, lower ones the largest, basal ones asymmetrically oblong-subtriangular, up to 15 by 8 cm, stalked; pinnules stalked, oblong, round to moderately acute at apex, broadly cuneate anteriorly and dimidiate posteriorly at base; secondary pinnules sessile, cuneate at base; larger ultimate segments with a few lobes, sessile, round to moderately acute at apex, cuneate at base, lobes about 0.5 mm broad, acute at apex; herbaceous to softly papyraceous, glabrous, yellow green to pale green. Sori terminal at veinlets, one for each lobe; indusia small, usually broader than long, round at apex, entire , membranous.

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Tak; NORTH-EASTERN: Loei; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi.

Distribution in Laos

Champasak, Salavan.

Wider Distribution

Himalayas to Yunnan and Indochina.

Ecology

On mossy tree trunks or rocks in dense evergreen forests at 900–2000 m alt.

Similar species

Davallia perdurans Christ

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 4961, Mae Hong Son, Ban Hua Ha (E); Middleton et al. 4465, Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National Park (E).

Voucher specimens - Laos

Thorel 2504, Champasak (P); Poilane 16123, Salavan, Pou Set (P)