Family

Polypodiaceae

Nomenclature

Aglaomorpha acuminata (Willd.) Hovenkamp, Fl. Males., Ser. II, Ferns and Fern Allies 3: 13. 1998; Newman et al., Checkl. Vasc. Pl. Lao PDR: 29. 2007. – Acrostichum acuminatum Willd., Sp. Pl. 5 116. 1810, non Poir. 1810. – Photinopteris acuminata (Willd.) C.V.Morton, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 38: 31. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 552, f. 55.6 & 55.7. 1989. – Type: Herb. Willdenow 19539 (B, photograph (by R.M.Tryon) US), Philippines (wrongly labelled "Peru").

Lomaria speciosa Blume, Enum. Pl. Javae.: 202. 1828. – Photinopteris speciosa (Blume) C.Presl, Epimel. Bot.: 264. 1851 [‘1849’]; Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 502, f. 59.3 & 59.4. 1941; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2:, 187, f. 93. 1955 [‘1954’]; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 58. 1967; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 256, 281. 2000. – Aglaomorpha speciosa (Blume) M.C.Roos, Blumea 31(1): 153. 1985; Newman et al., Checkl. Vasc. Pl. Lao PDR: 29. 2007.

Acrostichum rigidum Wall. ex Hook., in Hook. & Baker, Syn. Fil.: 424. 1868. – Photinopteris rigida (Wall. ex Hook.) Bedd., Ferns Brit. India: t. 211. 1867; Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 442, f. 269. 1883.

Description

Epiphytic or lithophytic. Rhizome long creeping, 7–10 mm diam., black or often glaucous or white on surface, densely scaly in young parts; scales linear, gradually narrowing from base to apex, about 8 by 1 mm, brown with dark base, toothed at margin. Stipes very short, up to 5 cm long, though a basal few pairs of pinnae lacking or extremely reduced, thus reaching to 10–20(–35) cm long below usual pinnae, stramineous or faintly purple. Laminae pinnate, 30–80(–90) by 15–30 cm; partially dimorphic; sterile pinnae in lower portion of fronds, 7–10 pairs, 5–8 cm apart from the next ones, distinctly stalked, articulated to rachis, oblong to oblong-ovate, acuminate at apex, equally cuneate at base, entire, 7–15(–30) by 3.5–8(–10) cm, the lower two or three pairs reduced, the upper ones gradually becoming smaller; veins more or less raised on both surfaces, venation drynarioid; coriaceous, green, paler below, glabrous or sparsely hairy; fertile pinnae in upper part of fronds, a few to several pairs, linear, up to 15 by less than 0.5 cm, stalked or nearly sessile. Sporangia covering the whole under surface of the fertile pinnae except on costa and on narrow marginal strands.

Distribution in Thailand

SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri, Trat; PENINSULAR: Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Satun.

Distribution in Laos

Champasak.

Distribution in Cambodia

Kampot.

Wider Distribution

Indochina and W Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra to the Philippines).

Ecology

On muddy, trunks of fallen trees or on living tree trunks in dense evergreen forests, rather rare at low to medium altitudes in the Peninsula.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

Least Concern (LC). This species is common and widespread in other parts of its range.

Voucher specimens - Cambodia

Viboth R32-1 (P).