Pteris cretica Linnaeus var. melanocaulos (Fée) Baker.

Plants 5-30(-60) cm tall. Rhizome erect, short, 1-1.5 cm in diam., apex with black-brown, entire scales. Fronds many, clustered, monomorphic or somewhat dimorphic, sterile fronds shorter than fertile fronds; stipe erect or spreading, castaneous-brown, 3-6(-20) cm (stipes of sterile fronds shorter), 0.5-1 mm in diam., scabrous or occasionally smooth; sterile lamina 1-pinnate (juvenile plants digitate), oblong-ovate or broadly triangular in outline; lateral pinnae 1 or 2 pairs, opposite, slightly decumbent, 2-forked or basal pair 3-forked, base of apical 3-forked, pinnae not or slightly decrescent; pinnules narrowly linear, often ca. 10 cm × 4-5 mm, base cuneate, margins serrate, apex long acuminate; fertile fronds: lateral pinnae often 2-4 pairs, opposite, 2-4 cm apart, slightly decumbent, basal pair 2-4-forked and shortly stalked, gradually simpler upward and sessile, base of 3-forked terminal pinna slightly or not decurrent; pinnules/segments narrowly linear, often 10-18 cm × 2-3 mm, base cuneate, margins serrulate toward apex only, apex long acuminate. Lamina pale green, thinly papery when dried, glabrous; midvein convex on both sides, light straw-colored, sometimes castaneous-brown at base; veins conspicuous on both sides, ca. 1 mm apart, slightly oblique, simple or forked. Sori absent at segment apices; indusia slightly broad, pallid, thinly membranous, entire.

Pteris actiniopteroides is a xeric and calciphilous plant.

● Limestone crevices; 600-2000 m. Chongqing, SE Gansu (Wenxian), N Guangxi (Luocheng, Yishan), Guizhou, N Henan (Huixian), Hubei (Yichang), S Shaanxi (Xixiang), Sichuan, Yunnan.