Dryopteris caucasica

Kafkas piluncu

Rhizome 10- 35 x 10 cm. apex clad with lanceolate brown scales. Fronds to 105 cm, eglandular, forming an erecto-patent roselle. Petiole 1/4-1/1 x lamina. very pale yellowish-green or whitish when mature, with sparse concolorous brown Ianceolate to linear-Ianceolate scales to 2 cm, becoming toothed at margin towards attenuate apex; rachis scales becoming paler and hair-like towards apex. Lamina bipinnate  to 180x36 cm,ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, occasionally truncate at base, soft, pale green above and even paler beneath, Pinnae to 20 x 5 cm. , lanceolate or elliptic with attenuate apex, often asymmetric; basiscopic pinnules longer, pinnate below, pinnatisect above, Pinnules narrowly lanceolate, truncate at base, apex acute; lowermost  shortly stipitate with winged stalks, basal pair often shorter than pair above; median pinnules sessile. usually by far the longest, basiscopic ones more so than acroscopic; margins deeply lobed to almost entire, lobes truncate with 2-5 acute teeth; lowest basiscopic lobe of  lowest basiscopic pinnule somewhat larger, with up to 10 teeth, not forming an auricle as in D.oreades; teeth very acute and distinct at pinnule apices. Sori 4-9-paired per pinnule; indusia 1-2 mm diam., Flat, circular or somewhat extended at one side, eglandular,. greatly overlapping sporangia. edges lacerate. Spore  ripe 6-8. Humid forests, Rhododendron scrub. c. 900-2000m.

Caucasus. N. Iran . Hyrcano-Euxine element.