Lomagramma brassii
Content
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, Goodenough I present
Malesia: New Guinea (Goodenough I.). Two collections.
Notes
This is very near L. melanolepis, but smaller, and the only clear difference is in the slender rhizome of the adult stage of the plant. In view of the clear difference between L. sinuata and L. melanolepis, which is mainly one of size (and which is maintained by plants growing side by side in cultivation at Kew) I think it probable that L. brassii is a distinct species.
A plant in cultivation at Kew (accession n. 020/ 74-00297, J. R. Woodhams), collected in the vicinity of Sogere in Papua climbing on the trunk of a dead Cyathea, agrees well with the above description except that the pinnae are smaller: sterile to 3 Vi by 1.1 cm, fertile c. 1 Vi by 0.3 cm. The small size may be due to conditions of cultivation; at least the plant confirms that the fertile condition can be attained by quite small plants, a condition otherwise unknown in the genus.
A plant in cultivation at Kew (accession n. 020/ 74-00297, J. R. Woodhams), collected in the vicinity of Sogere in Papua climbing on the trunk of a dead Cyathea, agrees well with the above description except that the pinnae are smaller: sterile to 3 Vi by 1.1 cm, fertile c. 1 Vi by 0.3 cm. The small size may be due to conditions of cultivation; at least the plant confirms that the fertile condition can be attained by quite small plants, a condition otherwise unknown in the genus.