Cockscomb Fern

pectinata: comb bearing; a reference to the comb-like fertile segment of the frond.

Rhizome shortly creeping, horizontal to suberect; rhizome scales brown, linear, twisted, up to 4 mm long. Fronds closely spaced to crowded, numerous. Stipe up to 7 cm long, dark brown for most of its length. Sterile frond simple, up to 30 cm long, very narrowly linear, green and inrolled at first, brown and recurved later. Fertile frond like sterile frond but with a pinnate, comb-like apical fertile portion, horizontal or descending. Pinnae up to 18 pairs, linear, 5-12 mm long and 1 mm wide, uniformly in length or with the longest in the middle, ciliate with pale hairs. Rhachis of the fertile portion held horizontally and curved. Sporangia packed in 2 rows on each side of the costa.

Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Madagascar.