大叶苍山蕨 da ye cang shan jue

Ceterachopsis magnifica Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol., Bot. 11: 56. 1941; Asplenium paucivenosum (Ching) Bir f. majus Bir.

Plants 15-35 cm tall. Rhizome erect, short; scales brown to reddish brown, triangular. Fronds clustered; stipe brown, 2-4 cm, with brown triangular scales similar to those on rhizome, becoming subglabrous when old; lamina narrowly elliptic to elliptic, (13-)19-32 × 4-5 cm, attenuate to both ends, base cuneate, pinnatipartite, apex subobtuse; segments 13-18 pairs, alternate, subperpendicular to midrib (rachis), basal segments semicircular, upper ones oblong to narrowly triangular-ovate, apex obtuse, middle ones (1.2-)2-2.5 × (1-)1.3-1.6 cm, margin hyaline and entire to slightly sinuate. Veins obscure, nothocatadromous (anadromous base pattern but several middle pinnae with their basal vein pair catadromous). Fronds subleathery, brownish to grayish green, with minute scales, average guard cell length 84-99 µm. Sori 4 or 5 pairs per segment, elliptic, short, 3-5(-8) mm, median on acroscopic secondary veinlets in middle between costa and margin; indusia brown, semi-elliptic, membranous, entire, persistent. Spores with lophate-reticulate perispore, average exospore length 50-58 µm. Plants octoploid: 2n = 288*.

On rocks in mixed forests; ca. 2800 m. W Yunnan (Yangbi) [NE India, Nepal].

Asplenium magnificum is easily confused with A. paucivenosum (see above), but in general, it is a larger plant. In critical cases, a chromosome count will be necessary.