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Platycerium alcicorne Desv. [family POLYPODIACEAE]

Date Updated: 26 July 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 0, Part 0, page 144, (1970) Author: E. A. C. L. E. Schelpe
Names
Platycerium alcicorne Desv. [family POLYPODIACEAE], in Mém. Soc. Linn. Par. 6, 2: 213 (1827).—de Joncheere in Blumea, 15, 2: 449 (1967). FRONTISP. Type from the Comoros. Acrostichum alcicorne Willemet apud Usteri [family POLYPODIACEAE], in Ann. Bot. Leipz. 18: 61 (1796) non Sw. (1801). Type from Madagascar. Platycerium vassei Poisson [family POLYPODIACEAE], in Rev. Hort. 82: 530 (1910). Type: Mozambique, from living material not extant. Platycerium bifurcatum [family POLYPODIACEAE], sensu Sim, Ferns S. Afr. ed. 2: 293, t. 154 (1915).
Information
Rhizome short, c. 1 cm. in diam., with brown subulate scales. Sterile fronds ovoid, convex, forming an almost hemispherical mass, 32 cm. in diam., thinly set with minute whitish stellate hairs at first, becoming glabrous with age. Fertile fronds up to 60 cm. long, narrowly cuneate, 2–4 times dichotomously divided into rounded to acute oblong to cultrate ultimate lobes up to 2.5 cm. broad, subglabrous above, densely clothed below with minute white stellate hairs c. 0.2 mm. in diam. Sporangia borne in soral areas on the ultimate and penultimate lobes, covered with white stellate hairs similar to those on the lamina.
Habitat
High-level epiphyte in tall woodland and dry forest
Altitude range
20–400 m. 400 20
Distribution
Mozambique GI Rio das Pedras, vii.1936, Gomes e Sousa 1789 (COI; K).Mozambique MS 43.2 km. N. of Gondola, 1.vii.1955, Schelpe 5448 (B; BM; BOL; K; P).Mozambique Z Maganja da Costa, 12.ii.1966, Torre & Correia 14534 (LISC).Zimbabwe E Inyanga Distr., Lower Pungwe R., 11.ii.19S7, Coates Palgrave (SRGH).
Distribution (external)
Madagascar Seychelles Comoro Is.
Platycerium alcicorne Desv. [family POLYPODIACEAE]
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