西畴粉背蕨 xi chou fen bei jue

Rhizomes erect, short; scales bicolorous, brown with lighter margins, subulate. Fronds clustered. Stipe black, lustrous, 15-25 cm × 1-1.5 mm, scaly only at base, densely covered with short, dark brown glands. Lamina ovate-deltoid or ovate-lanceolate, 12-15 × 8-10 cm, pinnate-bipinnatifid, leathery when dry, abaxially with white farina, adaxially glabrous; rachis and costae with same glands as stipe; pinnae 8-10 pairs, opposite, basal ones largest, ovate-lanceolate, bipinnatifid; pinnules 6-8 pairs, alternate; proximal basiscopic pinnules largest, linear-lanceolate, 2-2.5 cm × 3-4 mm, pinnatifid; ultimate segments 4 or 5 pairs, deltoid; second and upper pairs of pinnae gradually shortened distally, lanceolate, bipinnatifid. Veins obscure. Sori consisting of 3 or 4 sporangia. False indusia continuous, poorly developed, narrow, margins entire.

● Limestone cliffs; 1400-1500 m. S Yunnan (Xichou).

Aleuritopteris sichouensis is distinguished from other species of the genus by its glandular stipe and rachis, subulate rhizome scales, and very narrow false indusia.