Volume 3 > Part 1 > Year 1979 > Page 38–39 > Ophioglossaceae > Helminthostachys

Helminthostachys zeylanica (L.) Hook.wfo-0001107319

Gen. Fil.: t. 47b. 1840; Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 467. f. 292. 1883; E.Smith, J. Siam. Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl. 8: 9. 1929; Clausen, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 19(2): 108. F. 20. 1938; Tardieu & C.Chr. in Fl. Indo-Chine [P.H. Lecomte et al.] 7(2): 10. f. 1, 1–2. 1939; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya 2: 42. f. 2. 1955; Seidenf., Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 19: 85. 1958; Ching, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 2: 26. pl. 1. f. 7–8. 1959; Tagawa & K.Iwats., S.E. Asian Stud. 5: 32. 1976.— Osmunda zeylanicaL., Sp. Pl.: 1063. 1753.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Rhizome creeping, up to 7 mm in diameter, bearing the numerous fleshy roots and a frond in each year. Phyllomophore 20–40 cm long, fleshy, green or purplish brown; trophophyll up to 20 cm long, 30 cm wide, tripartite, each with a terminal lobe and one or two pairs of sessile lateral lobes, rachis winged; lobe oblong to oblong-lanceolate, round to acute at apex, cuneate and more or less decurrent at base, up to 20 cm long, 5 cm broad; veinlets once or twice forked, all free; texture softly herbaceous. Sporophyll with stalks up to 15 cm in length, placed at base of tripartite trophophyll, spikes up to 20 cm long; with numerous short branches bearing round sessile sporangia.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai (Doi Chiang Dao), Lampang (Ngao); NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Phu Luang, Phu Kradueng); SOUTH-EASTERN: Chantaburi (Khao Sabap); SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Hin Dat, Sai Yok, Khao Sok, Kroeng Kawia); PENINSULAR: Ranong, Surat Thani (Ko Tao, Bang Bao), Phangnga (Ko Ra), Nakhon Si Thammarat (Chawang, Thung Song), Trang (Chum Khet), Narathiwat (Waeng, Su-ngai Padi).

Distribution : Palaeotropics, from Ceylon (type) and Assam to New Caledonia and Queensland.

Ecology : Terrestrial on humus-rich slopes in light shade at low or medium altitudes.

Vernacular : Kut chong (กูดจ๊อง), kut sang (กูดซัง), kut tin hung (กูดตีนฮุ้ง), phak tin kwang (ผักตีนกวาง)(Northern); tin nok yung (ตีนนกยูง)(Southeastern, Peninsular); phak nok yung (ผักนกยูง)(Eastern).

E-version notes : For more details see Ferns of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.