Hypolepis millefolium

Detailed description

Rhizome subterranean, long-creeping, 1.5–3.0 mm diameter, glabrous or bearing scattered pale brown hairs (especially near growing point), stipes arising at intervals of 15–130 mm. Stipes 50–350 mm long, 1.5–3.0 mm diameter, red-brown below, pale brown above, a few pale or reddish brown hairs along stipe. Laminae rhombic, ovate or broadly ovate, 150–400–(700) × 80–250 mm, membranous to slightly coriaceous, normally tripinnate (bipinnate in smallest specimens) at apex to quadripinnate or sometimes almost 5-pinnate at base. Rachis pale brown to yellowish green, bearing pale brown or colourless eglandular hairs c. 1 mm long. Primary pinnae in 20–25 pairs, the lowest arising at 30–50° to stem, upper ones at 70–90°, opposite below, subopposite or alternate above, the longest below middle 70–260 × 35–130 mm; lowest pinnae 35–150 mm apart, middle pinnae 15–50 mm apart; upper pinna narrowly ovate, lower ones ovate, midrib narrowly winged towards apices. Secondary pinnae narrowly ovate to ovate, midribs broadly winged, 25–80 × 10–35 mm, those on the lower pinnae decreasing in length along the pinnae. Tertiary pinnae 5–20 × 3–10 mm, 2-6 deep serrations per pinnule. Quaternary pinnae 0.1–0.5 × 0.1–0.4 mm, sometimes deeply divided. Hairs: glistening, colourless, scattered along midribs of pinnae and pinnules, on both surfaces, up to 1 mm long. Veins reaching margin at tooth apex. Sori: one on each ultimate segment, though often absent from lowest two pairs of pinnae, originating away from margin, unprotected at maturity or partially covered by a green reflexed marginal flap. Spores pale brown, echinate.