Family

Gleicheniaceae

Nomenclature

Gleichenia microphylla R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland.: 161. 1810; Holttum, Fl. Males., Ser. II, Pterid. 1: 7, f. 1a–c & 2. 1959; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 23: 48. 1968; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 51. 1979; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 80. 2000.

Gleichenia semivestita Labill., Sert. Austr. Cal. 8, t. 2. 1824; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 45, f. 7.2 & 7.3. 1939. – Gleichenia microphylla var. semivestita (Labill.) Alderw., Malayan Ferns Fern Allies. 80. 1917; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: 65, f. 15. 1955 [‘1954’].

Description

Terrestrial. Rhizome dichotomously branched, near the apex protected by peltate scales, creeping, about 3 mm in diameter, bearing fronds remotely, scaly; scales narrow, dark brown with paler fringed margin. Fronds of mature plants usually with indefinite growth in length, bearing primary branches in pairs. Stipes and rachis castaneous, scaly with pale hairy scales or glabrescent; fronds dichotomously branched; pinnae sessile, oblong with acute apex, bipinnatifid, commonly about 15 cm long, 8 cm wide; pinna-rachis and costae beneath densely scaly with dark brown hairy scales; pinnules linear, deeply lobed nearly to costae, about 4 cm long, 3 mm wide, 4–7 mm apart; ultimate segments ovate-subdeltoid, round at apex, about 1.2 mm long, 1 mm broad, the margin entire, usually reflexed; texture chartaceous, green, glabrescent, veins free, simple, hardly visible. Sori exindusiate, with a few sporangia , surrounded by brown hairs.

Distribution in Thailand

PENINSULAR: Phangnga, Trang, Yala.

Distribution in Cambodia

Kampot

Wider Distribution

Vietnam, Malaya, throughout Malesia to Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand.

Ecology

On open ground at about 1000 m alt.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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