假西南复叶耳蕨 jia xi nan fu ye er jue

Rhizome creeping, succulent at growing apex, moderately scaly; scales pale brown, broadly lanceolate, thin and soft. Fronds remote or approximate, to 1 m; stipe ochraceous, 40-60 cm, 2.5-3 mm in diam., base scaly as rhizome, upward glabrescent; lamina 2-pinnate, brownish green when dried, ovate-oblong, ca. 40 × 25 cm, papery, glabrescent on both surfaces, base broadly cuneate, apex abruptly narrowed and forming an acuminate subconform terminal pinna, rachis glabrescent; lateral pinnae ca. 4 pairs, alternate or lower 1 or 2 pairs opposite, with to 2 cm stalk, obliquely spreading, lanceolate; lowest pinnae to 20 × 6-7 cm, base rounded-cuneate, apex acuminate; (primary) pinnules ca. 22 pairs, proximal ones shortly stalked, spreading, rhombic-oblong, to 4 × 1.3 cm, base acroscopically truncate and auriculate, basiscopically cuneate, apex obtuse or acute, margin coarsely serrate or pinnatifid, lobes or teeth sharply tipped or mucronate; terminal pinna to 20 × 10 cm, with ca. 12 spreading and acroscopically pinnatifid pinnules. Sori small, terminal on veinlets, 1-4 pairs per ultimate segment, medial between midvein and margin; indusia brown, firmly membranous, and entire.

● Dense broad-leaved forests; (500-)1000-1300 m. Yunnan (Xishuangbanna).

This species is intermediate between Arachniodes assamica and A. hekiana in appearance, but it differs from the former by the caudate terminal pinna, and from the latter by the much broader pinnae and firmer texture.