Brainea J.Sm., Cat. Kew Ferns

Gasper, André Luís De, Dittrich, Viníciusantonio De Oliveira, Smith, Alan R. & Salino, Alexandre, 2016, A classification for Blechnaceae (Polypodiales: Polypodiopsida): New genera, resurrected names, and combinations, Phytotaxa 275 (3), pp. 191-227 : 206

Brainea J.Sm., Cat. Kew Ferns 5. 1856. Type: Brainea insignis (Hook.) J.Sm., Cat. Kew Ferns 5. 1856. Figs. 3E , 6B .

Bowringia Hook. , Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 5: 237. 1853. — Type: Bowringia insignis Hook.

Plants terrestrial; rhizomes (caudices) erect, stout, trunk-like, to about 1 m tall, to 10 cm diam., non-stoloniferous, clothed with shiny dark brown, linear, entire scales, each with an attenuate or uniseriate tip; fronds subdimorphic; stipes stout, long, brownish, scales at bases similar to those of rhizomes, glabrous distally; blades bicolorous, elliptic- or deltate-lanceolate, pinnate, truncate or very slightly narrowed proximally, apices pinnatifid; rachises abaxially with small scales along costae and veins, or glabrescent; buds absent; aerophores absent; pinnae sessile or petiolulate, linear to narrowly oblong, crenate to serrulate, slightly revolute at margins; veins free or with a costal row of areoles in sterile and fertile pinna, then simple or 1- or 2-furcate; sori linear, borne along costal veins, exindusiate; x = 33, 35.

Species number, comments, and distribution:— Only one species, occurring in China, southeast Asia, and Malesia. This is a small arborescent fern, with subdimorphic fronds and exindusiate sori. Brainea insignis is one of the species in Blechnaceae with areolate venation, but the areoles are close to the costae and subtriangular, in contrast to the shapes of costal areoles in other genera in the family. This genus is closely related to Blechnidium and Struthiopteris (Gasper et al. in press).

Figures

FIGURE 3. General appearance of the genera of Blechnaceae subfamily Blechnoideae (A-D). A. Austroblechnum penna-marina (FURB06706); B. Blechnidium melanopus (P02439094); C. Blechnopsis orientalis (P01406555); D. Blechnum occidentale (FURB06701); E. Brainea insignis (P01482127); F. Cleistoblechnum eburneum (P00627565); G. Cranfillia fluviatilis (P01606472); H. Diploblechnum fraseri (P01557366); I. Doodia aspera (P01618184). Vouchers are indicated by herbarium barcodes.

FIGURE 6. Habitat of Blechnaceae genera. A. Blechnum occidentale; B. Brainea insignis; C. Cleistoblechnum eburneum. D. Cranfillia vulcanica; E. Diploblechnum fraserii; F. Doodia caudata; G. Icarus filiformis; H. Lomaria spannagelii; I. Lomaridium acutum. Photos from: A. Luis Adriano Funez; B. Ralf Knapp; C. Ralf Knap; D. Julie F. Barcelona; E. Michael Sundue; F. Paulo Araújo; G. WELT herbarium; H. Vinícius A.O. Dittrich; I. Tiago João Cadorin. Reproduced with permission from the authors.