剑叶耳蕨 jian ye er jue

Aspidium xiphophyllum Baker, J. Bot. 26: 227. 1888; A. monotis Christ; Polystichum glandiipinnum Tagawa ["gladiipinnum"]; P. monotis (Christ) C. Christensen; P. praelongum Christ.

Plants evergreen. Rhizome erect, densely scaly; scales brown or blackish brown, narrowly ovate. Fronds 25-60 cm; stipe stramineous, 12-36 cm, 2-3 mm in diam. at base, densely covered with lanceolate blackish brown scales, lower part mixed with narrowly ovate scales, scale base ciliate. Lamina 1-pinnate, broadly lanceolate, 18-40 × 6-15 cm, base nearly truncate, apex acuminate; rachis without proliferous bulbils, densely scaly abaxially; scales often blackish brown, linear, with dilated base, margins ciliate. Pinnae 16-20 pairs, alternate, attached at right angles to rachis, stalk ca. 1 mm, linear-lanceolate, sometimes slightly ascendant and falcate, middle pairs 3-10 cm × 7-16 mm, oblique at base, with acute teeth or subentire, sometimes lower part of pinnae pinnatilobate, apex acuminate; acroscopic bases deltoid-auriculate or with 1 free narrowly ovate pinnule, sometimes basiscopic bases also with 1 free smaller pinnule; abaxially sparsely scaly; microscales yellowish brown, ciliate with dilated bases; frond texture thinly leathery; venation pinnate on pinnae, lateral veins twice dichotomously branched, slightly distinct abaxially, indistinct adaxially. Sori in 1 row on each side of midrib; indusia subentire.

● Limestone soils in broad-leaved evergreen forests; 600-2200 m. S Gansu, Guizhou, W Hubei, W Hunan, Sichuan, C and SE Taiwan (Nantou, small area in the border region of Taidong and Pingdong), Yunnan (Suijiang).