莲座蕨 lian zuo jue

Polypodium evectum G. Forster, Fl. Ins. Austr. 81. 1786; Angiopteris acrocarpa de Vriese; A. alata Nadeaud; A. commutata C. Presl; A. durvilleana de Vriese; A. oldhamii Hieronymus; A. palmiformis (Cavanilles) C. Christensen; Clementea palmiformis Cavanilles.

Fronds 2-5 m; stipes smooth. Laminae bipinnate; pinnae 65-70 cm, with 15-30 pairs of spreading pinnules; pinnules 7-20 × 0.9-3.5 cm, bases cordate, rounded to cuneate, margins crenulate to serrate, apices acuminate to caudate. Veins obvious, false veins obvious, extending nearly to costule. Sori marginal to ca. 1 mm from margin, ca. 2 mm, with 8-10 sporangia.

Broad-leaved forests, rain forests in valleys, roadsides, slopes, usually on volcanic soils; 100-1200 m. Taiwan (Lan Yu) [New Guinea, Philippines; Australia, S Pacific islands; naturalized in Costa Rica, Hawaii, Jamaica, and possibly elsewhere].

Because this is the first species described in the genus Angiopteris, it has found a very broad application in the past. The species is here treated in its strict sense with a Pacific distribution (see Christenhusz & Toivonen, Biol. Invas. 10: 1215-1228. 2008), and it can be recognized by its very obvious false veins and its rather large leaves to 5 m. This remains a species complex, however, and more studies at population level and possibly horticultural experiments will be needed to resolve this.