10. Nephrolepis falcata ( Cav.) C. Chr. - Map 7; Plate 2h

Nephrolepis falcata ( Cav.) C. Chr. (1936) 15, pl. 1, f. 5-9 ; Copel. (1958) 188 . - Tectaria falcata Cav. (1801) 250 . - Type : Née s.n. ( BM , fragm., MA ), Philippines .

Nephrolepis barbata Copel. (1905) 178 . - Type : Copeland 1286 ( MICH ), Philippines .

Habit, rhizome morphology. Runners 1-1.5 mm thick, branching angle narrow. Scales on runners very sparse or sparse, appressed. Tubers absent. Fronds 65-200 cm long (or more), 7-10 cm wide, stipe 10-34 cm long. Lamina base strongly reduced, tapering over 20-35 cm, basal pinnae 0.7-1 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm distant, middle pinnae distinctly to strongly falcate. Sterile pinnae 4-8 by 1-1.4 cm, herbaceous, thick, base strongly unequal, basiscopic base rounded, acroscopic base truncate, slightly to distinctly auricled, margin in basal part crenate, dentate or serrate, apex acute to (indistinctly) 1 cm caudate. Fertile pinnae 4.8-8 by 0.7-1.2 cm, otherwise similar to sterile ones. Indument . Basal scales peltate, appressed, 2 by 0.5-1 mm, central part blackish, shining, hyaline margin narrow, marginal glands absent, margin in basal part irregularly lacerate or ciliate, acumen ciliate. Rachis scales dense, with a well-developed protracted acumen, squarrose to recurved, dark, with entire acumen. Scales on lamina usually persistent, with a long, narrow, entire, acicular acumen. Hairs on lamina and costa absent. Sori submarginal, 19-29 pairs on fully fertile pinnae, round, not impressed. Indusium reniform, with narrow sinus, attached at sinus.

Map 7. Distribution of Nephrolepis falcata ( Cav.) C. Chr. (continuous line) and N. falciformis J.Sm. (dotted line).

Distribution - Philippines: Luzon , Samar , Negoro, Mindanao .

Habitat & Ecology - Few data. Reported from lowlands to high elevations ( 300- 2500 m), in forest and in severely disturbed areas, epiphytic or terrestrial.

Note - Similar in pinna shape and position of the sori to N. falciformis , but differs in the very dark, dense, squarrose rachis scales; the denser and more persistent lamina scales, and the absence of hairs on the costae. Juvenile specimens of N. davallioides may have a similar rachis indument and may then be impossible to distinguish from sterile fronds of N. falcata .