Compilation
Osmunda capensis
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Name
Identification
Osmunda capensis L. [family OSMUNDACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet, Blechnum capense Burm.f. [family BLECHNACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
- Blechnum capense
- Blechnum indet.
- Osmunda capensis
Flora
Entry for OSMUNDA regalis L. [family OSMUNDACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1999) Author: B. VERDCOURT, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Names
OSMUNDA regalis L. [family OSMUNDACEAE], Sp. Pl.: 1065 (1753); V.E. 2: 64 (1908); Sim, Ferns S. Afr. ed. 2: 310, t. 170 (1915); F.D.-O.A.: 84 (1929); Demaret in B.J.B.B. 19: 268 (1949); Tardieu in Mém. I.F.A.N. 28: 30 (1953); Pic. Serm. in Webbia 9: 644 (1954); Alston, Ferns W.T.A.: 20 (1959); P. Taylor, Brit. Ferns & Mosses: 84, t. 3 (1960); Tardieu, Fl. Cameroun 3, Ptérid.: 58, t. 8/7–8 (1964); Schelpe, F.Z., Pterid.: 44, t. 10 (1970); Lewalle, F.A.C., Osmundaceae: 2, photo. 1, map 1 (1973); Schelpe in Expl. Hydrobiol. Bassin L. Bangweolo & Luapula 8 (3), Ptérid.: 28, t. 8 (1973); Faden in U.K.W.F.: 27 (1974); Schelpe, C.F.A., Pterid.: 43 (1977); Schelpe & Diniz, Fl. Moçamb., Pterid.: 40 (1979); Kornaś, Distr. Ecol. Pterid. Zambia: 40, fig. 20A (1979); Pic. Serm. in B.J.B.B. 53: 194 (1983); W. Jacobsen, Ferns S. Afr.: 169, t. 112, map (1983); Dostál in Hegi, Illust. Fl. Mitt.-Europ. ed. 3, 1(1): 99, fig. 74–78 (1984); Schelpe & N.C. Anthony, F.S.A., Pterid.: 43, fig. 11, map 29 (1986); J.E. Burrows, S. Afr. Ferns: 49, t. 7/3, fig. 47, map (1990); Faden in U.K.W.F. ed. 2: 16 (1994). Lectotype: Herb. Burser. xx: 26 (UPS, lecto.) (chosen by Jonsell & Jarvis in Jarvis et al., A list of Linnaean generic names and their types: 72 (1993)
Osmunda obtusifolia Kaulf. [family OSMUNDACEAE], Enum. Fil.: 43 (1824). Type: Mauritius, du Petit-Thouars Herb. Willd. 19505 (B, holo., microfiche!)
Osmunda regalis Desv. var. brevifolia [family OSMUNDACEAE], in Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6(2): 198 (1827); Hieron. in E.J. 28: 348 (1900); Pic. Serm. in B.J.B.B. 53: 194 (1983). Type: Réunion, ? Bory de St Vincent (P, holo.)
Osmunda capensis C. Presl [family OSMUNDACEAE], Suppl. Tent. Pterid.: 63 (1845) & in Abh. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss. ser. 5, 4: 323 (1847) non L. (1771). Type: South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Drège (?PR, holo.)
Osmunda regalis (C. Presl) Milde var. capensis [family OSMUNDACEAE], Fil. Europ. Atlant.: 179 (1867) & Bot. Zeit. 26: 50 (1868); Bonap., Not. Ptérid. 4: 60 (1917) & 14: 344 (1923); De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. 2: 186 (1923)
Osmunda regalis (Kaulf.) Milde var. obtusifolia [family OSMUNDACEAE], Fil. Europ. Atlant.: 179 (1867); Tardieu, Fl. Madag. 9: 1 (1952)
Osmunda regalis Kuhn forma abyssinica [family OSMUNDACEAE], in van der Decken, Reis. 3(3) Bot.: 59 (1879). Type: Ethiopia, Amhara, Beghemder, near Garrat, Schimper 1414 (?, syn., BM!, E, K!, P, isosyn.)
Osmunda regalis (Kuhn) Pic. Serm. var. abyssinica [family OSMUNDACEAE], in Webbia 9: 644, fig. 3 (1954)
Osmunda schelpei A.E. Bobrov [family OSMUNDACEAE], in Nov. Syst. Pl. Vasc. Acad. Sci. U.R.S.S. 1968: 6 (1968). Type: South Africa, Natal, Ngome, Gerstner 2339 (PRE, holo.)
Osmunda transvaalensis A.E. Bobrov [family OSMUNDACEAE], in Nov. Syst. Pl. Vasc. Acad. Sci. U.R.S.S. 1968: 7 (1968). Type: South Africa, Gauteng, Entabeni Forest Reserve, Codd 3039 (PRE, holo.)
Information
Rhizome erect to suberect, covered with the persistent winged bases of the stipes, usually embedded in a mass of black fibrous roots and with tufted fronds. Fronds erect, 0.6–2 m tall, with a rufous tomentum when young, becoming glabrous at maturity. Lamina 2-pinnate, up to 1 m long, with the fertile pinnae borne in the apical portion, oblong to narrowly oblong in outline, with subopposite pinnae. Sterile pinnules up to 6 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, herbaceous to thinly coriaceous, ± ovate or very narrowly to narrowly oblong, obtuse to broadly acute, unequally truncate at the base, minutely crenulate, petiolate except for adnate pinnules towards the apices of the pinnae. Fertile pinnules up to ± 2.5 cm long, 0.2 cm wide, linear, petiolate or adnate, bearing groups of sporangia at intervals.
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 3, 4, 6; T 1, 3, 7, 8
Altitude range
1350–2600 m
Distribution
UGANDA Karamoja District Mt Debasien, Jan. 1936, Eggeling 2684!;KENYA Nakuru District Molo, 21 Jan. 1968, Gillett 18522!;TANZANIA Bukoba District Ruasina [Rwasina] Forest, Nov. 1925, Wigg 294!;UGANDA Kigezi District Rukiga Hills, Mchaya Swamp, Morrison !;UGANDA Masaka District Lake Nabugabo, 9 Aug. 1950, G.H.S. Wood Y52!KENYA Naivasha District Gilgil R., Battiscombe 30!;KENYA ?Fort Hall District , near Thika, 6 Sept. 1909, Mearns 1122!TANZANIA Lushoto District near Magamba Kosti, 21 Sept. 1981, Mtui 67!;TANZANIA Iringa District Sao Hill, 12 Mar. 1962, Polhill & Paulo 1719!
Distribution (external)
; widespread in Africa
Nigeria
Bioko [Fernando Po]
Cameroon
Congo (Kinshasa)
Rwanda
Burundi
Sudan
Ethiopia
Angola
Zambia
Malawi
Mozambique
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Lesotho
Madagascar
Mascarene Is
Europe
Asia
America
Notes
Pichi Sermolli maintains a var. abyssinica stating that it differs from var. regalis in the smaller shorter pinnules provided with strong venation on both sides, more obviously decurrent middle sterile pinnules, more widely confluent upper ones, overall smaller size of the plant, sterile fronds longer than the fertile ones, fertile pinnae (particular the lower) further from each other and by the presence of fertile fronds completely distinct from the sterile ones in most cases but not constantly even in the syntypes listed. Schelpe does not recognise it. Many E African specimens are annotated as var. obtusifolia (Kaulf.) Milde and this is rather distinctive with short ovate pinnules but in such a widespread species even varieties are difficult to maintain. Many have been described throughout its range. Cited specimens with an belong here, also Ankole District: Igara, July 1939, Purseglove 872!; South Nyeri District: SW Mt Kenya, Kiamariga [Kilimarigo] Swamp, Gardner 1880!; Aberdares, 20 km W of Nyeri on Naivasha Road, Kiandongoro Forest, 5 June 1976, Kahurananga & Kibui 2824! The name to be used for this taxon if desired is var. brevifolia Desv., but whilst not denying some differences exist, I do not think the varieties worth maintaining. The plants grow to a great age, even several hundred years old, with the rootstocks becoming massive and weighing up to 700 kg.