Arachniodes

Blume

Enum. Pl. Javae 2: 241. 1828.

Common names: East Indian holly fern
Etymology: Greek arachnion, spider's web, and -odes, having the form or nature of it has been suggested that Blume saw fungal hyphae or spider webs on his original material
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Plants terrestrial. Stems moderately long- to short-creeping, stolons absent. Leaves monomorphic, evergreen. Petiole ± as long as blade, base not swollen; vascular bundles more than 3, arranged in an arc, ± round in cross section. Blade broadly deltate or pentagonal, 2–3-pinnate-pinnatifid, gradually to abruptly reduced distally to pinnate or pinnatifid apex, papery to somewhat leathery. Pinnae not articulate to rachis, segment margins and especially apex spinulose; proximal pinnae largest, petiolulate, inequilateral with basal basiscopic pinnule much larger and more elongate than more distal pinnules; costae adaxially grooved, grooves continuous from rachis to costae to costules; indument of hairlike scales abaxially, absent adaxially. Veins free, forked. Sori in 1 row between midrib and margin, round; indusia round-reniform, attached at narrow sinus, persistent. Spores brownish, rugate or tuberculate, sometimes spiny. x = 41.

Distribution

Tropics and subtropics, mostly in e Asia and Pacific Islands, a few in Africa, ca. 4 in Mexico, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species ca. 50 (1 in the flora naturalized from Asia).

... more about "Arachniodes"
Alan R. Smith +
East Indian holly fern +
Tropics and subtropics +, mostly in e Asia and Pacific Islands +, a few in Africa +, ca. 4 in Mexico +, Central America +  and South America. +
Greek arachnion, spider's web, and -odes, having the form or nature of +  and it has been suggested that Blume saw fungal hyphae or spider webs on his original material +
Enum. Pl. Javae +
ching1934a +, gordon1981a +  and tindale1960a +
Arachniodes +
Dryopteridaceae +