Davallia chaerophylloides (Poir.) Steud.

chaerophylloides: like Chaerophyllum, a genus of the Apiaceae, whose finely divided leaves are not unlike those of this Davallia.

Rhizome stout, woody, up to 15 mm in diameter; rhizome scales pale golden brown, peltate, narrowly lanceolate, hairpointed, up to 8 mm long with paler margins. Fronds widely spaced, arching, thinly coriaceous. Stipe up to 44 cm long, firm, wiry, glabrous at maturity, with scales similar to those on the rhizome, at the extreme base. Lamina 20-70 × 20-50 cm, 4- to 5-pinnatifid, triangular in outline. Pinnae alternate, with petiole up to 3 cm long; basal pinnae largest and developed basiscopically, others progressively smaller upwards. Ultimate segments pinnatifid, 5-7 lobed, cuneate, obtuse, glabrous, distal margins deeply toothed. Rhachis and secondary rhachis glabrous, slightly winged towards the apices. Sori up to 1 mm in diameter, solitary, terminal on segments and on vein ends, variously subtented by 1 or 2 blunt or sharp teeth, covered by a pouchlike membranous, entire indusia.

Rare

Widespread in tropical Africa, south to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and eastern South Africa. Also on the Comoro and Mascarene islands, Madagascar ans the Seychelles.