21. Crepidopteris Copeland

A small group of Malayan and Polynesian origin, with small bi-pinnate fronds. Indusium funnel-shaped, receptacle protruding. Copeland remarks: “The longitudinal elongate marginal cells are a convenient diagnostic characteristic, but the genus is recognisable at sight by a combination of characters—small size, thinness, narrowly elliptic form, degree of dissection, position of sori—which are not individually diagnostic. If two rows of cells are elongate, the inner row may be double in thickness.”

Copeland: Genera Hymenophyllacearum, 1938, p. 57.

Crepidopteris endlicheriana (Presl) Copeland

Syn. Trichomanes endlicherianum Presl (1849–1851).

Endemic.

Copeland: Genera Hymenophyllacearum, 1938, p. 58.

This species has been known previously in New Zealand as Trichomanes humile (now Crepidopteris humilis). Actually C. humilis is not found in New Zealand. C. endlicherianum differs from it as follows. It has two rows of marginal cells instead of one, and these cells are more elongate, the frond is narrower, though its segments are actually longer, and the wing of the involucre is wider so that the mouth does not project beyond it as much as in C. humilis. The receptacle, apparently less fragile, is longer.