Family

Pteridaceae, subfamily Pteridoideae

Nomenclature

Pteris cretica L., Mant. Pl.: 130. 1767; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 106. 1883; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 148. 1940; Holttum, Dansk Bot. Ark. 20: 27. 1961; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 82. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 255. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 127. 2000.

Pteris cretica var. laeta auct. non (Wall. ex Ettingsh.) C.Chr. & Tardieu: C.Chr. & Tardieu, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 6: 137. 1937; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 148. 1940.

Description

Rhizome short creeping or ascending, bearing closely spaced fronds, scaly at apex; scales brown, up to 5 mm long, entire. Stipes stramineous to castaneous or deep purple, nearly black and sparsely hairy at base, puberulous upwards, usually 10–30 cm or sometimes more than 50 cm long, those of fertile frond longer. Laminae more or less dimorphic, imparipinnate, 15–40 by 6–35 cm; lateral pinnae up to 7 pairs, narrowing towards base, caudately long-acuminate at apex, serrate at margin, sessile or shortly stalked at base, up to 23 by 2 cm in sterile and 1.2 cm in fertile ones, but commonly about 12 cm long, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, light green; veins ascending, forked, all free. Sori along the margin of pinnae; indusia firm , brown.

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang; NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun, Khon Kaen; SOUTH-WESTERN: Prachuap Khiri Khan; SOUTH-EASTERN: Chon Buri, Chanthaburi; PENINSULAR: Surat Thani, Krabi, Yala.

Distribution in Laos

Xieng Khouang.

Distribution in Cambodia

Oddar Meanchey, Siem Reap.

Wider Distribution

Tropics and subtropics throughout the World.

Ecology

On mountain slopes in forests.

Similar species

Pteris heteromorpha Fée

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 4709, Chanthaburi, Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary (E).

Voucher specimens - Laos

Harmand s.n., Siem Reap, Angkor Thom (P); Poilane 2423, Xieng Khouang (P).

Voucher specimens - Cambodia

Harmand 279, Oddar Meanchey, Phnom Domrek (P).