Pleopeltis macrocarpa (Bory ex Willd.) Kaulf.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Castleburn Cliffs, Vumba

Photo: Petra Ballings
Nyanga area

Photo: Petra Ballings
Stream below Silvermist cottage, Troutback

Photo: Petra Ballings
Ridge above Cavalo, Sanjunjira, Mt. Gorongosa.

Photo: Petra Ballings
Tsetsera

Photo: Petra Ballings
Northern slopes below Mt Dombe, Chimanimani Mts

Photo: Petra Ballings
Lake Kaulime, 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:	Pleopeltis ensifolia Carmich. ex Hook Polypodium adspersum Schrad. Polypodium lanceolatum sensu Sim Polypodium lepidotum Willd. ex Schltdl. Polypodium macrocarpum Bory ex Willd.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Rhizome widely creeping, slender; rhizome scales lanceolate to ovate, peltate, brown with a darker central stripe and pale, lacerate margins, 2-3 mm long. Fronds spaced apart, simple, fleshy. Stipe up to 8 cm long, winged in the upper part, articulated to the rhizome, with a few scales with dark centre when young, becoming glabrous with age. Lamina evergreen, linear-lanceolate in outline, gradually tapering towards base and apex, margins entire to weakly wavy, up to 20 × 1.7 cm. Upper surface subglabrous, lower surface with several circular to lanceolate, peltate scales with dark centre and jagged margins. Sori round to oval, up to 5 mm in diameter, placed in 2 rows between costa and margin in the upper third to half of the lamina, exindusiate, covered with scale-like paraphyses when young.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	makros: large, karpon: fruit; referring to the large sori
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical and southern subtropical Africa; also tropical America, Hawaii, India, Réunion, Madagascar, St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha.
National distribution:
Growth form(s):	Epiphyte, lithophyte.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1983). A check-list of the Pteridophytes of Zimbabwe. South African Journal of Botany 49(3) Pages 195 - 196. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 90. 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 44. Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 568 - 569. (Includes a picture). 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 13. As Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. macrocarpa 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 26. 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 114. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 309 - 310. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Page 78. 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 9. 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 105. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 163. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 152 - 153. (Includes a picture). Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 71. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 80.

Other sources of information about Pleopeltis macrocarpa:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Pleopeltis macrocarpa
Flora of Mozambique: Pleopeltis macrocarpa
Flora of Rwanda: Pleopeltis macrocarpa
Flora of Zambia: Pleopeltis macrocarpa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Pleopeltis macrocarpa

External websites:

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