49. Pteris aspericaulis Wallich ex J. Agardh, Recens. Spec. Pter. 22. 1839.
紫轴凤尾蕨 zi zhou feng wei jue
Plants 0.3-1.5 m tall. Rhizome ascending, short, 1.5-2 cm in diam., apex densely scaly; scales blackish brown with brown margins, lustrous, linear-lanceolate, 2-7 × 0.1-0.4 mm. Fronds clustered; stipe often light purple, sometimes straw-colored or green, 10-42 cm, ca. 2 mm in diam., glabrous, ± rough, with scattered pustules, scaly at base; lamina 2- or 3-pinnatipartite, oblong-ovate in outline, 18-80 × (3-)8-25 cm; lateral pinnae (1 or)2-14 pairs, opposite or subopposite, decumbent, lanceolate, 2-18(-23) cm, sessile or basiscopically shortly stalked, base cuneate, slightly oblique, pectinately divided to near costae, apex caudate with linear pointed tail, basal pair of pinnae often with 1(or 2) basiscopic pinnules near base similar in shape to main part of pinnae but smaller; segments 10-25(-35) pairs, alternate, narrowly separated or contiguous, subspreading, oblong, somewhat falcate, 8-30 × 3-7 mm, base slightly expanded, entire or sterile margins occasionally slightly undulate, apex mucronate or obtuse, and with a sharp corner; terminal pinna similar to median lateral pinnae, stalked (1-1.5 cm); costae prominent abaxially, glabrous, grooved adaxially, with short and robust spines along groove; veins conspicuous on both sides, decumbent, 2-forked from base, lateral veins of segment arising from rachis, 2 opposite veins of base reaching incision of pinnae; lamina gray-green, often mauve at margin, subleathery when dried, glabrous (abaxially glabrous, adaxially subglabrous when young).
Forests; 400-2900 m. Guangxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, Nepal].
