Peter's Blog: Monachosorum henryi (Henery's Monachosorum, 稀子蕨)

Henery's Monachosorum is in the genus Monachosorum and family Dennstaedtiaceae and is distributed in South China, East Himalayas, Indo-China and Taiwan. It is a terrestrial fern and fond of cool climate and grows in the shady and humus-rich cloud zone under the forest. In Taiwan, it is distributed in the middle-altitude areas of 1,000 to 2,000 meters throughout the island. However, due to the influence of the northeast monsoon, the temperature in the northern area is lower than other places at the same latitude. There are also Henery's Monachosorum in mountainous areas less than 1,000 meters high, such as Yangming Mountain and Dongyan Mountain.

The Chinese name of Henery's Monachosorum is "稀子蕨" (Xi-zi Fern), "稀子" means "few children". There is another Chinese word "攜", which is pronounced the same as "稀", meaning "to carry". If you call it "攜子蕨" that means "fern with children". Althought "攜子蕨" is not the correct name in Chinese, it is also appropriate to say that Henery's Monachosorum is "carrying children" because it is a fern that grows adventitious buds. On the surface of its rachis and even the pinna rachis, it grows one to several adventitious buds which provide vegetative reproduction and look like it is carrying children. The new adventitious buds look like fists clenched upwards. Each finger of the fists will grow into a frond. When the adventitious buds fall to the ground they will root downwards and become young plants independently. Adventitious buds can be said to be an important feature of Henery's Monachosorum.

Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.11.11 Taiwan)

About Henery's Monachosorum

◆	Classification: Genus Monachosorum; Family Dennstaedtiaceae
◆	Scientific name: Monachosorum henryi Christ
◆	English Name: Henery's Monachosorum
◆	Chinese name: 稀子蕨、佛指蕨、觀音蓮、零餘子蕨
◆	Origin: South China, East Himalayas, Indo-China and Taiwan
◆	Growth environment: Shady and humus-rich cloud zone under the forest at middle altitudes
◆	Growth habit: Terrestrial
◆	Rhizome: Short, ascending
◆	Frond
	》	Stipe: 25-50 cm long, greenish, with minute glandular hairs
	》	Blade →Tufted, thinly herbaceous, long-ovate, tri- to quadripinnate; →Up to 60 cm long, 35 cm broad →Grooves on the surface of the rachis at all levels and connected →Often bearing axillary buds on the upper side of the rachis
	》	Pinna lanceolate, sometimes bearing adventitious buds on the upper side of the pinna rachis, end lobe tiny
	》	Lateral veins free and unbranched
◆	Sori round, small, grow on top of lateral veins, no indusia

Henery's Monachosorum is distributed in South China, East Himalayas, Indo-China and Taiwan. It grows in the shady and humus-rich cloud zone under the forest at middle altitudes.

Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.12.17 Taiwan)

Its rhizome is short and ascending. The fronds are tufted. Stipes are about 25-50 cm long, greenish, with minute glandular hairs.

Rhizome and stipes of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.12.17 Taiwan)

The blade is thinly herbaceous, long-ovate and tri- to quadripinnate.

Blade of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.10.31 Taiwan)

Blade up to 60 cm long, 35 cm broad.

Blade of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.11.11 Taiwan)

There are grooves on the surface of the rachis at all levels and they are connected.

Rachises of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.11.11 Taiwan)

The pinnae are lanceolate.

Pinnae of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.12.17 Taiwan)

The end lobes are very tiny.

Pinnule of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.12.17 Taiwan)

Lateral veins are free and unbranched.

Veins of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.12.17 Taiwan)

It often bears one to several adventitious buds on the upper side of the rachis.

Adventitious buds on rachis of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.12.17 Taiwan)

Adventitious buds on rachis of Henery's Monachosorum

(2017.12.15 Taiwan)

And sometimes bears adventitious buds on the upper side of the pinna rachis.

An adventitious buds on pinna rachis of Henery's Monachosorum

An adventitious bud on pinna rachis of Henery's Monachosorum

(2022.10.25 Taiwan)

The adventitious bud of Henery's Monachosorum look like an upward fist, and each finger will grow into a leaf.

An adventitious buds of Henery's Monachosorum

An adventitious bud of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.10.31 Taiwan)

The first leaf of adventitious buds is rising.

An adventitious buds of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.10.31 Taiwan)

The first leaf of the adventitious bud is about to unfold. When I came back to look at the photo, I was shocked. The leaf that was about to unfold in this photo actually looked like a baby's side face, with forehead, eyes, nose, mouth and a chin.

An adventitious buds of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.10.31 Taiwan)

The first leaf of the adventitious bud has unfolded, and the second leaf is about to rise.

An adventitious buds of Henery's Monachosorum

(2016.10.31 Taiwan)

Adventitious buds grow into new plants after falling to the ground.

Young Henery's Monachosorum

(2018.5.16 Taiwan)

On the ground below Henery's Monachosorum, from time to time you can see small young ferns that grow up after the adventitious buds fall to the ground.