Aleuritopteris bicolor

Is it Silver fern ? – Flora of Madhya Pradesh:
These dried ferns were photographed in Jungle at Betul, MP.
They were growing on rocky hill slope and covering a large area.
Looked like silver fern or tattoo fern.
Will b thankful for a botanical name.

Yes … This does look like Silver fern, may be Cheilanthes argentea!

dont know about the fern id… but may i suggest you check your color balance and light source in
your digital camera’s settings???
… set for vibrant colors, … and cloudy white balance.. then pictures would not look so faded… or have this white caste overall, hope this helps… and your pictures can be prize winning…

Yes even to me look like Silver fern

Yes it is.

Yes, this is one of the dozen species of “Silver Fern” that occur in India. There are far fewer species present in Madhya Pradesh, of which Aleuritopteris bicolor and Aleuritopteris anceps are the wider spread ones. This is A. bicolor, which is the commonest and most widespread species in India, also having a surprisingly wide altitude range in the Himalaya. You can see the typically long, mostly scaleless stipe and, though curled up, the lowest pinna is long – so when in growing state during the monsoon the lamina is markedly deltate [“deltoid” is a three dimensional triangle, not 2-D] – and as the lowest basiscopic pinnule of the frond is also very long, the lamina is deltate-pentagonal.
It is a nice photo to see in its dry state, like many cheilanthoid ferns, and in such a fine dense stand of it – now what is the chance of revisiting that very same stand now, during monsoon time and photographing it again from the same exact spot? The two photos together would be spectacular and would show its “resurrecting” properties – from which, incidentally, it has occasionally been suggested that it could represent the fabulous Sanjeevani (though Selaginella bryopteris etc. are more commonly thought to be the same).
In India A. bicolor was often misnamed as A. farinosa – an Afro-Arabaian species not present in Asia. I think this is more likely to have been what … must have been thinking of, because A. argentea is a Chinese and N.E. Asian species, which was not known from India apart from a single collection of Hooker’s from the Khasi Hills, which was very probably mislabelled in error for a specimen from later in his journey, up in north Sikkim (as it occurs here and there over the northern border in Tibet). I was very surprised to discover it in the high dry area of N.W. Bhutan a couple of years ago – near Thimphu, where it had long been overlooked and was effectively unknown in the Indo-Himalaya before, at C. 2700 metres – in our region it is a Sino-Tibetan species, which could definitely not occur in C. India, but is common in N. China in cold dry areas, such as around Beijing. So no, definitely not A. argentea – one cannot simply translate the English name (for the whole group, plus Pityrogramma) into Latin and guess it to be A. argentea. One can see distributions of Silver Fern species (not quite complete – I forgot a couple areas for a couple of species) in my paper on them in the Fern Gaz. (2010), and other details in my book revising Indian Pteridophytes “Taxonomic Revision of Three Hundred Indian Subcontinental Pteridophytes with a Revised India Census List” (2008) Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun,which I hope may help disseminate generally accurate information.

Although … has explained the details about Cheilanthes (Aleuriopteris) bicolor, he has not given the reasons for the name change. In India this fern was known as Cheilanthes farinosa.
It was Manton, Roy & Jarrett (1966) who pointed out that the name for the indian plants which were diploids need to be changed, since the name C farinosa was for the triploid from Yemen. Incindently there is a
tetraploid also. Manton et al did not propose any new name for the diploid. After that a lot many people suggested various names for the Indian taxon. … desreves the credit for locating a specimen of Pteris bicolor (specimen in Brussels) collected by Roxburg (from Kumaun Himalaya) and this was the Hiolotype rather than C
dealbata of Wallich. (Details given in ‘AN Illustrated Fern Flora of the West Himalaya By S P Khullar, Vol 1. Published by MS International Book Distributors, Dehra Dun (1994). It was in this flora that the
name Cheilanthes bicolor (Roxberg) Fraser-Jenkins was used following Fraser-Jenkins (1992).
I feel when a name change is suggested reasons for the change of name should be given

Yes, … has adequately outlined the reasons, which I had explained to him when we worked together on his West Himalayan book. I should have mentioned his book, which remains probably the most useful account in existence of a large chunk of Indian ferns. But I did not detail the history again as it has been explained many times since – as with many other revised names from a decade and more ago – and it is no longer what I would think of as a “name change” now, because it appears to be rather well established. Were there a further change recently that was not so well known it would be important to explain it again, but this one doesn’t seem to have any problens attached to it as far as I know.
I think just to help people recognise the species I should just point out that in the “Illustrated fern Flora of the West Himalaya” account, plates 69 and 72, while the important stipe-base scales are correct, the lamina labelled C. dalhousiae (plate 72) is a very typical A. bicolor, with its characteristic deltate-pentagonal frond and abruptly longest lowest basiscopic pinnule of the lowest pinna. But the lamina on plate 69 labelled as C. bicolor is not A. bicolor, but matches A. leptolepis, with shorter lowest pinnules and a more elongated-triangular lamina. So collections of what is thought to be probably A. bicolor need to be matched with the lamina of Plate 72 (“dalhousiae”), not plate 69.
The choice of Aleuritopteris or Cheilanthes remains an arbitrary decision, depending on several different factors, and will doubtless differ from one account to another. Such decisions are naturally always going to be hard or impossible to standardise!

Here is a picture of Silver fern photographed yesterday in Bandhavgarh National Park;

Rajgad, Sep 2014 :: Requesting ID of this fern :: ARKSEP-17 : 11 posts by 5 authors. Attachments (3).
Requesting to please ID this fern captured at Rajgad near Pune in Sep 2014. It reminded me of the ornamental ferns sold in Matheran and Mahabaleshwar.

Pityrogramma calomelanos

I think this is Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link, an adventive species from South America.

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Thanks … for the follow up on this post. Thanks … for the feedback.
I think I will go with the ID suggested by … and take it as Aleuritopteris bicolor…

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Fern for ID : Nasik : 09JAN22 : AK – 16: 2 images.
Fern seen at the base of Borgad today (9.1.22).
Chelianthes Species?

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Aleuritopteris bicolor. What State is Borgad in, though?

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It is near Nasik in Maharashtra state.

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Request for ID: (Mixed thread): 1 correct image.
I am attaching three ferns pl identify. These were on the moist shady wall.

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The amount of information is insufficient! First we are not told if they are Himalayan (highish? Lowish?) or S. Indian. Secondly the photographer is not aware that it is the BASE of fern fronds that is needed 9 times out of 10, not just the ultimate frond-tips, as obviously the base is the most “developed” or lobed part. Thirdly the picture of the Aleuritopteris has been taken so obliquely that one cannot get a good idea of how long the lowest pinnules on the lowest pinna are.
Then there’s the feature special to Aleuritopteris that one has to see the distribution of the scales (and if concolorous or bicolorous) stipe-base only, to stipe apex, up rachis too, or extending onto the pinna-costae and costulates beneath.
I can but hazard an unsatisfactory guess: Aleuritopteris probably bicolor, and obviously Adiantum incisum, presumably subsp. incisum (who knows which subspecies it is).

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COULD YOU LET ME KNOW THE PLACE FROM WHERE THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN ALSO THE ALTITUDE. ALSO KINDLY TAKE PICTURES FROM THE LOWER SURFACE WHICH WILL HELP IN CORRECT IDENTITY, OTHERWISE IT WILL BE JUST GUESS WORK. YOUR LAST PICTURE LOOKS LIKE ADIANTUM INCISUM MIGHT AS WELL BEBA. CAUDATUM. BUT THE FIRST NAME IS CORRECT? ALL ADIANTUMS ARE NOT HANSRAJ. THIS NAME IS GENERALLY APPLIED TO ADIANTUM CAPILLUS VENERIS
BEWARE OF SUCH ANCIENT NAMES. THEY MEAN NOTHING SINCE NO DESCRIPTIONS OR DIAGRAMS OR EVEN THEIR LOCATIONS ARE KNOWN. LEAVE THESE AS MYTHS. LET US NOT TRY TO GIVE PRESENT NAMES TO THESE EARLIER NAMES. SO MANY PLANTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SANJEEVANI, BUT WHAT WAS IT, NO BODY KNOWS

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well said, there is a great problem with attempting to apply Vedic names to species, and it badly affects three quarters of all the ayurvedic medicinal literature. Simply said it is mostly inaccurate in nomenclature, Botanical identity and medicinal knowledge!
Having said that, I believe botanical knowledge might have allowed us to stumble upon the real identity of Sanjjevani (see in the next Indian Fern Journal! – as you know). Only one pteridophyte really fits the distribution pattern – NOT the widespread and common Selaginella bryopteris! But I agree, who’s to say it was a pteridophyte – who knows it’s not a lichen, such as Shivalit??!! But the Angiosperm candidates are not well supported, even if Shri Randev himself declares it so!

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identification no160612sn3:
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.

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Definitely this is a species of silver fern (Cheilanthes) as you have said…cannot say anything about species. Seems like this is drying up..

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Totally inadequate image.
One possibility is A.bicolor:
https://efloraofindia.com/2012/08/18/aleuritopteris-bicolor/

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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…

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