长尾蹄盖蕨 chang wei ti gai jue

Rhizomes short, erect, apex densely scaly; scales dark brown, linear-lanceolate, fibriform-tipped. Fronds caespitose; fertile fronds 50-60 cm; stipe blackish brown, upward stramineous, 25-30 cm, ca. 3 mm in diam. at base, base similarly densely scaly, stipe and rachis with dense brownish short glandular hairs; lamina 2-pinnate, ovate-oblong, 30-35 × up to 25 cm, base narrowed, apex shortly acuminate; pinnae 18-20 pairs, lower pinnae opposite, reflexed, upper pinnae alternate, spreading, basal 2 pairs of pinnae slightly shortened, slightly narrowed at base; middle pinnae linear-lanceolate, 14-16 × 2-2.5 cm at middle, base subequilateral, truncate, pinnate, apex long acuminate or caudate; pinnules 18-20 pairs, basal pinnules opposite, upper pinnules alternate, spreading, sessile, basal pinnules larger, ± pinnatilobate, overlaying rachis; pinnules other than basal pinnules oblong-triangular, up to 1.2 cm × ca. 4 mm at middle, base inequilateral, truncate and auriculate on acroscopic side, auricles long, narrowly cuneate on basiscopic side, with 2 or 3 shallow segments or duplicate teeth, apex shortly acuminate; veins inconspicuous adaxially, visible and protuberant abaxially, pinnate in pinnules, lateral veins 5 or 6 pairs, oblique, lower veins forked, upper veins simple, pinnate in auriculate lobes. Lamina firmly papery, brown-green, glabrate on both surfaces; costae abaxially brown-stramineous, with dense brownish short glandular hairs, with subulate spines on adaxial side at base of costa or costule. Sori oblong, 4 or 5 pairs per pinnule, biseriate on both sides of costule, inframedial; indusia brownish, oblong, membranous, entire, persistent. Perispore surface without folds.

● Forests, among shrubs; 1000-1600 m. Hunan, W Sichuan.

Athyrium caudiforme looks very similar to A. subrigescens but differs by being larger, and having pinnae longer, long acuminate and caudate at apex, pinnules basal acroscopic side prominently auriculate at base, and midrib on adaxial surface without spines.