滇南桫椤 dian nan suo luo

Gymnosphaera austroyunnanensis (S. G. Lu) S. G. Lu & C. X. Li.

Trunk erect, 2-7 m tall. Fronds 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, 4-4.5 m; stipe black, lustrous, 1-1.5 cm, with short sharp spines and dense scales at base; scales brown in middle, lanceolate, 1.5-3 cm × 2-3 mm, margin pale brown, irregular; lamina 2-3 × 1-1.8 m; pinnae 50-90 × 15-25 cm; pinnules alternate, spreading, lanceolate, 8-13 × 1.5-2.5 cm, broader at middle, base truncate, shortly stipitate, pinnatifid almost to costule; pinnule segments up to 25 pairs, alternate, slightly ascending; sterile segments 10-15 × 4-5 mm, margin and apex dentate, or shallowly pinnatifid; fertile segments narrow, 5-10 × 1-3 mm; veinlets 10-12 pairs, ascending, simple or forked. Lamina papery, pale brown on abaxial surface, dark brown on adaxial surface; rachis and costa dark brown, abaxial side of costa glabrous or with small scales, adaxial side of costa and costule with dense, brown, stiff hairs, abaxial side of costule and midvein with small, ovate, brown scales, margin of scales dentate; normally lower few pinnae fertile, and often only lower pinnules fertile. Sori medial, close to midveins, ca. 10 pairs per segment, covering whole segment when mature; indusia absent.

● Sunny forested slopes; 800-1400 m. S and SE Yunnan.