Family

Tectariaceae

Nomenclature

Tectaria tenerifrons (Hook.) Ching, Sinensia 2: 34 1931; Holttum, Dansk Bot. Ark. 23: 239. 1965; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 377. 1988; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 217. 2000; Newman et al., Checkl. Vasc. Pl. Lao PDR: 32. 2007. – Polypodium tenerifrons Hook., Sp. Fil. 4: 104. 1862. – Dictyopteris tenerifrons (Hook.) Bedd., Ferns Brit. India: t. 4. 1865; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 298. 1883. – Type: Parish 92, Burma, Moulmein.

Description

Rhizome short creeping, fleshy, 2–5 mm diam., scaly; scales small, up to 1.2 mm long, brown, not very stiff. Stipes 20–30 cm long, stramineous, rather sparsely hairy upwards. Laminae pentagonal, bi- or tripinnatifid at base, up to 28 cm long and 26 cm wide; rachis densely pubescent throughout, slender; free lateral pinnae 1 to 3 pairs; basal pinnae the largest, asymmetrically oblong-subdeltoid, falcate, rounded at stalked base, caudate, acuminate at apex, deeply lobed, up to 18 by 11 cm; upper free pinnae like the free pinnules of basal pinnae, sessile or decurrent, falcate, acute to acuminate at apex, rounded to broadly cuneate at base, apical pinna larger, oblong-subdeltoid, deeply lobed, caudate at apex; lobes oblong-subdeltoid, round to acute at apex, entire or crenulate; soft-herbaceous, light green, minutely hairy on both surfaces; costa and costules densely and minutely hairy, veins anastomosing with few free veinlets, hairy. Sori round to oblong, at junction usually along costal or costular areoles, up to 2 mm diam., without indusia .

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nan, Nakhon Sawan; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi.

Distribution in Laos

Unspecified.

Wider Distribution

Burma.

Ecology

On mountain slopes in light shade in limestone areas at low altitudes less than 600 m.

Similar species

Tectaria manilensis (C.Presl) Holttum

Hypodematium crenatum (Forssk.) Kuhn

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

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

Notes

This species is restricted to limestone areas where the dry and rainy seasons are distinct. The fleshy tuberous rhizome is one of the characters of plants in such habitats, and fronds are seen only in the rainy season. The similarity to Tectaria manilensis in this rhizome structure, as well as in the thin delicate fronds may have an ecological background not indicating any phylogenetic affinity between them.

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Larsen & Larsen 34340, Mae Hong Son (E); Maxwell 89-955, Chiang Mai, Muang Awn Cave (E); Middleton et al. 5616, Nan, Tham Phatup Forest Park (E); Shimizu et al. T-10787, Lampang, Doi Pang La (E).