Family

Dryopteridaceae

Nomenclature

Elaphoglossum melanostictum (Blume) T.Moore, Index Filic.: 361. 1862; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: 455, f. 265. 1955 [‘1954’]; Holttum, Fl. Males., Ser. II, Pterid. 1: 301, f. 18d & 18e. 1978; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 89. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 306. 1988; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 186. 2000. – Acrostichum melanostictum Blume, Fl. Javae Fil.: 26, t. 7. 1828.

Elaphoglossum peninsulare Holttum, Gard. Bull. Singapore 11: 270. 1947; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: 256, f. 266. 1955 [‘1954’]; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 23: 55. 1968.

Elaphoglossum norrisii auct. non (Hook.) Bedd.: Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 418. 1883.

Description

Rhizome short creeping, about 5 mm diam., bearing close fronds, densely scaly near apex; scales dark brown, narrow, thin, narrowing towards tapered apex, up to 7 by 1.2 mm, bearing aciculated teeth irregularly at margin. Sterile frond: stipe very short, confined to the portion below the joint; lamina up to 40 by 6.5 cm, widest at 1/3 below apex, gradually, narrowing towards base, shortly tapered towards broadly blunt-pointed apex; coriaceous, cartilaginous membrane at edge narrow, veins more or less visible on both surfaces, caducous scaly beneath, scales reduced consisting of only two rows of cells. Fertile frond: stipe up to 15 cm long, scaly, narrowly winged on upper portion; lamina up to 30 by 3.5 cm.

Distribution in Thailand

CENTRAL: Nakhon Nayok; PENINSULAR: Yala.

Wider Distribution

W Malesia.

Ecology

On mossy tree trunks in dense forests at low and medium altitudes.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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