宝兴蹄盖蕨 bao xing ti gai jue

Rhizomes short, erect, apex densely clothed with dark brown, linear-lanceolate, fibriform-tipped scales. Fronds caespitose; fertile fronds 80-100 cm; stipe blackish brown at base, upward stramineous, 35-50 cm, ca. 4 mm in diam. at base, base similarly densely scaly, upward glabrate; lamina 2-pinnate, oblong-lanceolate, 40-50 × 12-15 cm at middle, base slightly narrowed, apex long acuminate; pinnae 12-16 pairs, lower pinnae subopposite, upper pinnae alternate, slightly ascending, subsessile or shortly stalked (stalk ca. 1.5 mm), lower 2 or 3 pairs of pinnae subequal in size, lanceolate, slightly curved upward, 12-15 × 2.5-3 cm, long caudate-acuminate, base subcordate, pinnate; pinnules 15-17 pairs, basal pinnules subopposite, slightly larger, ovate-oblong, alongside rachis, pinnatilobate; upper pinnules alternate, subspreading; basal 2 or 3 pairs of pinnules deltoid-oblong, 1-1.3 cm × 5-7 mm, base inequilateral, truncate, auriculate on acroscopic side, cuneate on basiscopic side, decurrent and slightly adnate to costae, margin biserrate, apex acute; fourth basal and upper pinnules gradually smaller, decurrent and adnate to wing of costae; veins somewhat visible adaxially, protuberant abaxially, pinnate in pinnules, lateral veins ca. 6 pairs, oblique, forked, but pinnate on basal acroscopic side. Lamina subleathery when dried, greenish brown, glabrate on both surfaces; rachis and costae stramineous, with short glandular hairs abaxially, with subulate spines on adaxial side. Sori oblong, sometimes J-shaped, 4 or 5 pairs per pinnule, inframedial; indusia brownish, oblong, sometimes J-shaped, membranous, entire, partly fugacious when mature. Perispore surface without folds, ornate, net ridge disconnected, sometimes granular.

● Forests on mountains; ca. 2500 m. SW Sichuan.