Asplenium, L.

Fischer, Eberhard & Lobin, Wolfram, 2023, Synoptic Revision of Aspleniaceae (Asplenium, Hymenasplenium) of Rwanda, Phytotaxa 608 (1), pp. 1-65 : 59

Endemism of Asplenium in continental Africa

Forty Asplenium species ( Tab. 2 ) have a range-restricted distribution in continental Africa and are often only found in a single area. The most species-rich region is the Albertine Rift, with nine species in Rwanda ( Asplenium burundense Pic.Serm. , A. centrafricanum Pic.Serm. , A. majus (Hieron.) Pic.Serm. , A. markusbeckeri sp. nov., A. musiraense Viane , A. rukararense Hieron. , A. uschiae sp. nov., A. ramicola sp. nov., A. tenuicaudatum Pic.Serm. ), 12 species in D.R.Congo, 10 of which are confined to Eastern Congo ( Asplenium burundense Pic.Serm. , A. centrafricanum Pic. Serm. , A. lambinonii Pichi Sermolli 1985: 140 , A. majus (Hieron.) Pic.Serm. , A. markusbeckeri sp. nov., A. rukararense Hieron. , A. rutshuruense Taton ex Pichi Sermolli 1977b: 81 , A. ruwenzoriense Baker 1901: 137 , A. uschiae sp. nov., A. tenuicaudatum Pic.Serm. ), one ( Asplenium staudtii Hieronymus 1911: 357 ) confined to Western D.R. Congo, and one ( Asplenium chaseanum Schelpe 1967: 206 ) to Haut Katanga. Four species occur in Burundi within the Albertine Rift ( Asplenium burundense Pic.Serm. , A. centrafricanum Pic.Serm. , A. reekmansii Pichi Sermolli 1985: 148 , A. rukararense Hieron. ). This high species number (12 species in total) again highlights the importance of the Albertine Rift as a hotspot of biodiversity. Six species are restricted to Tanzania ( Asplenium albersii Hieronymus (1911: 380) , A. arcumontanum Hemp & N.R.Crouch (2018: 1) , A. musiraense Viane , A. peteri Becherer (1929: 180) , A. pocsii Pichi Sermolli (1973: 432) , A. udzungwense Beentje ), three species to São Tomé ( Asplenium eurysorum Hieronymus 1911: 364 , A. exhaustum ( Christ 1909: 23) Alston 1944: 76 , A. nigritianum Hooker 1861 : t. 43), Ethiopia ( Asplenium balense Chaerle & Viane 2007: 149 , A, demerkense Hieronymus 1911: 376 , A. stipicellatum Pichi Sermolli (1977a: 63)) , Uganda ( Asplenium majus (Hieron.) Pic.Serm. , A. musiraense Viane , A. ruwenzoriense Baker (1901: 137)) , Zimbabwe ( Asplenium mossambicense ( Schelpe 1968: 235) , A. sebungweense J.E. Burrows 1989: 173 , A. simii Braithwaite & Schelpe ( Schelpe 1967: 209) , and South Africa ( Asplenium multiforme Krasser 1900: 4 , A. prionites Kunze 1836: 511 , A. simii Braithwaite & Schelpe ), two species to Liberia ( Asplenium harleyanum . Kunkel 1965: 54, A. schnellii Tardieu 1949: 370 ), Bioko ( Asplenium isabelense Brause in Brause& Hieronymus 1915: 382). A.biafranum F.Ballard ), Annobon ( Asplenium annobonense Viane in Viane & Reichstein 1992: 158, A. nigritianum Hook. ), Cameroon ( Asplenium annetii ( Jeanpert 1921: 3) Alston 1951: 193 , Gabon ( Asplenium annetii (Jeanp.) Alston , A. hallei Tardieu 1964b: 125 ), Sudan ( Asplenium demerkense Hieronymus 1911: 375 , A. schweinfurthii Baker 1888: 328 ), Kenya ( Asplenium albersii Hieron. , A. peteri Becherer ), and Zambia ( Asplenium chaseanum Schelpe , A. sebungweense J.E.Burrows ), and one endemic species has been recorded in each of Guinea ( Asplenium irregulare Baker [ Hooker & Baker 1868: 222]), Principe ( Asplenium eurysorum Hieron. ), Eritrea ( Asplenium erythraeum Pichi Sermolli [1977a: 57] ), Mozambique ( Asplenium mossambicense Schelpe ) and Swaziland ( Asplenium multiforme Krasser ) ( Roux 2009).