48. Pteris longipinnula Wallich ex J. Agardh, Recens. Spec. Pter. 19. 1839.
翠绿凤尾蕨 cui lü feng wei jue
Plants 0.5-1.2 m tall. Rhizome erect, short, 1-2 cm in diam., apex with black-brown scales. Fronds clustered; stipe brown, 30-70 cm, ca. 1 mm in diam., glabrous or with bristles, adaxially grooved; lamina 2-pinnatipartite, ovate, 30-60 × 20-25 cm; lateral pinnae 4 or 5 pairs, opposite, adjacent to each other, decumbent, basal pair shortly stalked, upper sessile, broadly lanceolate, 20-25 × ca. 5 cm, base narrower and shortly cuneate, deeply pectinately pinnatifid forming narrow wings, apex acuminate; terminal pinna similar but wider and with stalk 2-6 cm; segments 20-30 pairs, opposite or alternate, decumbent, sinuses acute, 2-3 mm apart, 20-40 × 5-8 mm, base slightly expanded, margin entire and with cartilaginous border, apex obtuse and with a sharp point; costae with short spines along groove; veins biconvex, oblique, forked at base; lamina pale green, firmly herbaceous when dried, glabrous.
Hainan, SE Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Myanmar, Nepal].
Pteris longipinnula is slightly similar to P. decrescens but is slightly larger, with lateral pinnae fewer (only 4 or 5 pairs), and much longer (to 25 cm). The segments are longer and not serrate. It is also similar to P. heteromorpha but differs in having the stipe straw-colored and the costae abaxially hairy.
