Family

Pteridaceae, subfamily Pteridoideae

Nomenclature

Pteris wallichiana J.Agardh, Recens. Spec. Pter.: 69. 1839; C.Chr., Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 26: 333. 1931; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 160. 1940; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 3(3): 83. 1965; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 81. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 236. 1985; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 133. 2000; Newman et al., Checkl. Vasc. Pl. Lao PDR: 31. 2007. – Campteria wallichiana (J.Agardh) T.Moore, Index Filic.: 221. 1861; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 118. 1883.

Description

Rhizome thick, short, erect, densely scaly at apex; scales oblong-subtriangular, up to 1 cm long, 4 mm broad at base, brown, concolorous, entire. Stipes thick, up to 179 cm long, dark brown and scaly at base, pale castaneous or stramineous upwards, puberulous or glabrescent. Laminae tripartite, middle branch deeply bipinnatisect, up to 100 by 25 cm, lateral branches nearly as long as middle one, each bearing a large secondary bipinnatifid branch on lower side towards base, secondary branch sometimes with bipinnatifid branch; lateral pinnae up to 20 pairs in middle branch and about 15 in lateral branch, linear-lanceolate, caudately acuminate at apex, broadly cuneate at sessile base, up to 25 by 4.5 cm, deeply lobed almost to costa leaving wings about 1.5 mm broad; ultimate segments narrowly oblong, falcate, acute at apex, serrate at margin, herbaceous or thicker, yellow-green, glabrous; veins forming narrow costal areoles, the other veins forked, free, more or less visible on both surfaces. Sori continuous along margin from base to midway or sometimes to apical part of segments; indusia rather thick, pale green outside and paler inwards, entire .

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phrae, Phitsanulok; NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun, Loei; SOUTH-EASTERN: Chanthaburi.

Distribution in Laos

Xieng Khouang.

Wider Distribution

N India, S China, Laos, S Japan to Taiwan, south to Java, Sulawesi, and a variety in Samoa.

Ecology

Terrestrial in light shade or half-shaded places at low to medium altitudes.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 4966, Mae Hong Son, between Mae Suri National Park and Ban Hua Mae Surin (E).