Osmunda regalis L.

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Vumba, Essex Road

Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH

Photo: Paul Hubbard
Along the path to Nanke Cave, Matobo Hills

Photo: Bart Wursten
Morumbodzi falls, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
Upper Jizira River valley, Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Muhowa river, Chikukwa, Chimanimani Mts

Photo: Petra Ballings
Nhandar River below Nhancuco, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa.

Photo: Petra Ballings
Valley below Mt Pheza, Chimanimani Mts

Photo: Petra Ballings
Small valley North-east of Mt Binga, Chimanimani Mts

Kaombe River, above Kundalila Falls
Jun 2010
Photo: M.P.Kennedy

Photo: Bart Wursten
Chisanga Falls, Nyika National Park

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Osmunda capensis C.Presl Osmunda regalis L. var. capensis (C.Presl) Milde Osmunda schelpei A.E.Bobrov Osmunda transvaalensis A.E.Bobrov
Common names:	Royal fern (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Rhizome erect to suberect; fronds tufted, glabrous, 60-120 × 30-45 cm. Stipe up to 30 cm long. Lamina up to 1 m, bipinnate and ovate in outline. Sterile pinnules oblong-lanceolate in outline; apex rounded; base asymmetrically truncate; margin minutely serrate. Fertile pinnules situated on the end of the lamina and covered with sporangia.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	regalis: regal, royal; referring to the majestic growth of the plant or to King Osmund (Osmunda) of the South Saxons
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Worldwide distribution:	Malawi, Mozambique, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Also high mountains of tropical Africa, temperate parts of Europe, Asia, America, Madagascar, Mascarene Islands
National distribution:
Growth form(s):	Lithophyte, terrestrial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 49 - 50. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 82. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 38. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 41. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 27. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 12. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 25. Fischer E. & Lobin W. (2024). Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and quillworts) and Polypodiopsida (ferns) of Rwanda. Willdenowia 53(3) Page 163. Fischer, E. & Killmann, D. (2008). Illustrated Field guide to the Plants of Nyungwe National Park Rwanda. University of Koblenz-Landau. Page 128. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 8. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 33. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 36. (Includes a picture). Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 44 - 46. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 79.

Other sources of information about Osmunda regalis:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Osmunda regalis
Flora of Mozambique: Osmunda regalis
Flora of Rwanda: Osmunda regalis
Flora of Zambia: Osmunda regalis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Osmunda regalis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Osmunda regalis
African Plant Database: Osmunda regalis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Osmunda regalis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Osmunda regalis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Osmunda regalis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Osmunda regalis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Osmunda regalis
JSTOR Plant Science: Osmunda regalis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Osmunda regalis
Plants of the World Online: Osmunda regalis
Tropicos: Osmunda regalis
Wikipedia: Osmunda regalis