三角羽旱蕨 san jiao yu han jue

Pteris calomelanos Swartz, J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 70. 1801.

Rhizomes decumbent or ascending, short and stout, 4-8 mm in diam.; scales bicolorous, black, with narrow pale brown margins, lustrous, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate. Fronds clustered. Stipe dark brownish black, (3-)5-12(-30) cm, terete, with sparse narrow scales at base, glabrous above. Lamina grayish green, pale abaxially, ovate to oblong-deltoid, (5-)8-15(-25) × 4-6(-15) cm, 2-pinnate with discrete terminal pinnule, leathery, glabrous on both surfaces; rachis, costae, and pinnule stalks dark brownish black, terete, glabrous or rarely sparsely shortly hairy or -glandular. Pinnae 11-21, oblique; basal or second pairs of pinnae largest, medial and distal pinnae gradually reduced, undivided or imparipinnate with 3-11 pinnules, stalks 3-10 mm. Pinnules discrete, 3-7(-11), ovate to ovate-hastate, 6-25 × 4-22 mm, with stalks to ca. 3 mm, base cordate, apex obtuse. Veins obscure. Sori confluent. False indusia continuous, brown, slender, margins entire.

Rock crevices in dry valleys; 900-1800 m. S Sichuan, Yunnan [India, Nepal, Pakistan; Africa, S Europe, Indian Ocean islands (Mascarene Islands), Madagascar].

This widespread species sometimes has been divided into two or more varieties in Africa. The Chinese plants correspond to Pellaea calomelanos var. calomelanos.