Arthropteris orientalis (J.F.Gmel.) Posth.

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Photo: Mark Hyde
Mukuvisi Woodland

Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

Photo: Petra Ballings
Mpinge pass, Great Dyke

Photo: Petra Ballings
Christon Bank, Harare

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Synonyms:	Aspidium thonningii Schumach. Dryopteris orientalis (J.F.Gmel.) C.Chr. Nephrodium albopunctatum (Bory ex Willd.) Desv. Polypodium orientale J.F.Gmel.
Common names:	Msasa fern (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome widely creeping, up to 3 mm in diameter; rhizome scales dark brown, peltate, broadly ovate to circular, entire, up to 1.5 mm long. Stipe up to 25 cm long, articulated in upper half, pale matt brown, glabrous or with occasional pale brown scales, up to c. 1 mm long. Fronds spaced, erect, seldom arching, herbaceous to thinly coriaceous, scented. Lamina up to 11-40 × 5.5-17 cm, lanceolate-oblong in outline, deeply 2-pinnatifid. Pinnae up to 9.5 × 1.8 cm, opposite to alternate, basal pinnae possibly somewhat reduced, sessile, lanceolate in outline, articulated; ultimate lobes oblong, apex rounded, entire to shallowly crenate margins, thinly pubescent denser on costae and costules, white dots usually present at the end of the veins on the upper pinna surface. Sori circular, up to 9 per lobe borne about halfway between the costules and the margin; indusium c.0.6 mm in diameter, glabrous, entire.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	orientalis: oriental, eastern; first described from Yemen, it was originally thought to be a plant from the East and named accordingly.
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, reaching its southern limit in southern Zimbabwe and central Mozambique; also in Yemen, Réunion, Madagascar and Mauritius.
Growth form(s):	Lithophyte, terrestrial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 207 - 208. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 91. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 36. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 7. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 16. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 325 - 326. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Pages 114 - 116. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 8. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 143. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 192 - 193. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 163 - 165. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 80.

Other sources of information about Arthropteris orientalis:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Arthropteris orientalis
Flora of Mozambique: Arthropteris orientalis
Flora of Rwanda: Arthropteris orientalis
Flora of Zambia: Arthropteris orientalis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Arthropteris orientalis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Arthropteris orientalis
African Plant Database: Arthropteris orientalis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Arthropteris orientalis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Arthropteris orientalis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Arthropteris orientalis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Arthropteris orientalis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Arthropteris orientalis
JSTOR Plant Science: Arthropteris orientalis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Arthropteris orientalis
Plants of the World Online: Arthropteris orientalis
Tropicos: Arthropteris orientalis
Wikipedia: Arthropteris orientalis