蚀盖耳蕨 shi gai er jue

Polystichum lacerum Christ, Bot. Gaz. 51: 352. 1911, not C. Presl (1851).

Plants ?evergreen. Rhizome erect, densely covered with scales; scales dark brown, black in center, lanceolate. Fronds 5-15 cm; stipe stramineous, 1-5 cm, 1-2 mm in diam. at base, densely covered with scales; scales reddish brown, lanceolate, margins ciliate, cilia tortuous. Lamina pinnate, linear-lanceolate or oblanceolate, 5-16 × 1-2.6 cm, slightly contracted at base, acuminate; rachis apex often with 1 proliferous bulbil, covered with dense or sparse scales abaxially; scales narrowly lanceolate, basal margins ciliate. Pinnae 14-25 pairs, lower pairs opposite, upper pairs alternate, angled at 90° with rachis or slightly so basiscopically, sessile, deltoid-ovate or oblong, middle pinnae 6-15 × 3-5 mm, bases asymmetrical, apices obtuse or rounded; acroscopic margins truncate, indistinctly auriculate, basiscopic bases cuneate, pinna margin with incurved acute teeth; microscales on adaxial surface sparse, linear, brown; microscales on abaxial veins dense or sparse, brown, narrowly lanceolate and linear; frond texture papery; venation pinnate, lateral veins free, or forked at base, slightly raised abaxially, indistinct adaxially. Sori in 1 row on each side of midrib; indusia large, erose.

● On rocks in forests; 1400-2400 m. Chongqing, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan (Sangzhi), Sichuan, NE Yunnan.