Thanks a lot, Chris ji. The following statement is mine (that is why I did not mention anybody's name): "Totally inadequate image. One possibility is *A.bicolor*: https://efloraofindia.com/2012/08/18/aleuritopteris-bicolor/";
I do not have much idea about ferns except for comparing images (and details) already identified in our group (efloraofindia- mostly by you) and putting a guess and marking a copy to you for your expert comments. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Chris Fraser-Jenkins Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2023 at 13:17 Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:119590] identification no160612sn3 To: J.M. Garg <[email protected]> Dear oh dear, yes, I have to agree with the person who said this image is inadequate! But incidentally, who is that person? He or she does not like to say! I think you really need to put your name after any comment. I don't know anyone working in India called "efloraofindia"! Please reveal yourself and try to be sure never to hide behind some group name. One's identity is a matter of courtesy, but also helps people to know if you are experienced or not, which is important. Even if I make a blunt comment I do not hide my name! Going on to the specimen, I wonder if the photographer knows a useful little trick, when specimens are dried up and curled up like this one cannot see the essential characters for identification, so particularly for cheilanthoids, many Asplenium, all Vittaria (i.e. Section Haplopteris), it is important to soak the specimen out in a bucket of water overnight, and though it might seem unkind to it, once it is all nicely expanded, then put it in the press and ensure to change the paper several times almost right away to get rid of water on the frond. Then photograph the dried herbarium specimen, which is often much more informative than bad field photos. For this genus we need to see the scales at the base of the stipe, and if present, on the upper stipe, rachis and pinna costae, beneath (as you can read in any of the massive literature on Indian ferns including the Annotated Checklist of Indian Pteridophytes, vol. 1 or Ferns and Fern allies of Nepal, vol. 1). But one also needs to see the shape of the lamina. More than one species of Aleuritopteris occurs in Maharashtra: A. albomarginata (scales on pinna costae), A. anceps, A. bicolor, A. formosana and I think A. rufa (from memory). Your specimen is clearly not albomarginata, formosana or rufa (as scale distribution is wrong). It is fairly obviously either A. bicolor or A. anceps, both of which occur commonly around Pune. I would guess from the longer lowest pinna it may be A. bicolor, but I can't eliminate A. anceps while in the shrivelled state shown in this photo. If you can also send a close up of the scales towards the base of the stipe, one could be certain, as anceps scales are much wider and go up the stipe quite a lot, whereas bicolor scales are very narrowly linear and mostly confined to the very base of the stipe (except in very juvenile, baby plants, which this is not). Otherwise (or additionally), try soaking out a complete frond and then pressing. It's all a matter of knowing what needs to be shown for each species, and simple technique... Good wishes, Chris Fraser Jenkins ([email protected]). On Sunday, 23 April 2023 at 08:06:44 BST, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: Totally inadequate image. One possibility is *A.bicolor*: https://efloraofindia.com/2012/08/18/aleuritopteris-bicolor/ ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: *Satish Nikam* <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2012 at 14:52 Subject: [efloraofindia:119590] identification no160612sn3 To: Indiantrees Pics <[email protected]> Friends, I suppose this is a fern, and have come to know it's name as Cheilanthus farinosa?Taken at Mulshi,Pune .Found in a ditch. regards satish nikam my photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwwssncomphotos -- With regards, J.M.Garg -- With regards, J.M.Garg -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "eFloraofIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/indiantreepix/CA%2BiuSFAgvNPugTW3MZxouwuJt78yephn4qjE%2B-FTgEjUBMn6qw%40mail.gmail.com.
