小戟叶耳蕨 xiao ji ye er jue

Ptilopteris hancockii Hance, J. Bot. 22: 139. 1884; Aspidium hancockii (Hance) Baker; A. reductum Baker; Polystichum hancockii var. leptopteron (Hayata) Suzuki; P. leptopteron Hayata; P. longistipes Hayata; P. parahancockii Ching; P. simplicipinnum Hayata.

Plants evergreen. Rhizome erect, short, rhizome apex and stipe base densely scaly; scales dark brown, ovate-lanceolate, toothed at apex. Fronds 30-50 cm; stipe stramineous upward, 10-20 cm, sparsely scaly or subglabrous. Lamina hastate-lanceolate, green when dry, 20-25 × 8-12 cm at base, with 3 linear-lanceolate pinnae; lateral pairs shorter, 2-5 × 1-2 cm, shortly stalked, pinnate, shortly acuminate; pinnules 5 or 6 pairs; middle pinna much larger than lateral pinnae, 20-25 × 3-6 cm, long stalked, 1-pinnate, long acuminate, pinnules 20-25 pairs; all pinnules alternate, attached at nearly right angles to rachis, lower pairs shortly stalked, upper pairs subsessile, middle part 1.5-2 cm × 6-8 mm, obliquely rectangular, apices acute or obtuse, acroscopic base with deltoid auricles, margins coarsely toothed, teeth with small spinules at apex; both surfaces glabrous; frond texture thinly papery; venation pinnate on lobes, veinlets simple, rarely forked. Sori terminal on veinlets; indusia present, slightly erose, caducous. Spores elliptic in polar view, semicircular in equatorial view, perispore sculpturing reticulate. 2n = 41.

Forests; 300-2100 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].