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Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and
quillworts) and Polypodiopsida (ferns) of Rwanda
Authors: Fischer, Eberhard, and Lobin, Wolfram
Source: Willdenowia, 53(3) : 149-172
Published By: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin (BGBM)
URL: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.53.53302
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Willdenowia
Annals of the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin
Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and quillworts) and Polypodiopsida
(ferns) of Rwanda
Eberhard Fischer1 & Wolfram Lobin2
Version of record first published online on 10 January 2024.
Abstract: The checklist comprises 208 species and two varieties of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida. All historic literature
records, mainly from Brause & Hieronymus (1910) and Pichi Sermolli (1983, 1985) have been revised. The pteridological results
of 39 years of botanical exploration of the flora of Rwanda by Eberhard Fischer, have been added. Two new varieties (Pleopeltis
macrocarpa var. dichotoma and P. macrocarpa var. pinnatiloba are validated.
Keywords: Central Africa, checklist, clubmosses, diversity, endemism, ferns, Lycopodiopsida, Pleopeltis, Polypodiopsida, pteri-
dological history, quillworts, Rwanda
Article history: Received 24 May 2023; peer-review completed 25 August 2023; received in revised form 7 September 2023;
accepted for publication 15 September 2023.
Citation: Fischer E. & Lobin W. 2024: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and quillworts) and Polypodiopsida (ferns) of
Rwanda. – Willdenowia 53: 149–172. https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.53.53302
Introduction
The ferns and fern allies of Rwanda have received little
attention. The only more detailed list providing localities
was that by Pichi Sermolli (1983, 1985). Since then, only
Roux (2009) published an updated list for all countries of
Africa including Madagascar, albeit without reference to
the single records.
During the preparation of an illustrated field guide of
ferns and fern allies for Rwanda, including descriptions
and keys for all taxa, the authors recorded numerous spe-
cies as new country records and six species new to science,
as well as two varieties previously not validly published.
Two new species are already described, one in a paper on
Isoetes in Central Africa (Fischer & Lobin 2022) and one
Dryopteris species in a treatment of the exindusiate Dryo-
pteris species from Central Africa (Fischer & Lobin 2023a).
A further three new Asplenium species and a synoptic re-
vision of the genus in Rwanda, as well as an overview of
Diplazium with the description of a new species, have re-
cently been published (Fischer & Lobin 2023b, 2023c).
The aim of the present publication is to provide the
first checklist of all fern and clubmosses species recorded
for Rwanda and the formal description of Pleopeltis mac-
rocarpa var. dichotoma Eb. Fischer & Lobin and P. mac-
rocarpa var. pinnatiloba Eb. Fischer & Lobin.
Material and methods
The present checklist is based on an evaluation of the ex-
isting literature, herbarium studies in the following her-
baria: B, BR, FI, K (abbreviations after Thiers 2022+),
and fieldwork between 1984 and 2022. The authors have
tried to verify all historic records, mainly from Brause
(1910), Brause & Hieronymus (1910) and Pichi Sermolli
(1983, 1985).
Results and Discussion
History of pteridological exploration of Rwanda
Until 1907, the flora and fauna of Rwanda were almost
unknown to science.
During the expedition of Graf von
Götzen in 1894 (Götzen 1895) no
ferns appear to have
been collected in Rwanda, although he listed a few fern
collections from the ascent of Mt Nyiragongo, part of the
Virunga massif in eastern Democratic Republic of Con-
go (D. R. Congo). Richard Kandt (see Bindseil 2008),
who lived
in Rwanda as a private naturalist from 1898–
1902, 1905–1907, and later as
the Imperial Resident for
Rwanda until 1913, made some botanical
collections, but
only of flowering plants. In 1907 Adolf-Friedrich
Her-
1 Institut für Integrierte Naturwissenschaften – Biologie, Universität Koblenz, Universitätsstraße 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany.
2 Botanical Gardens Bonn University, Meckenheimer Allee 171, 51115 Bonn, Germany; lobin@hotmail.de
Author for correspondence: Eberhard Fischer, efischer@uni-koblenz.de
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150 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
zog zu Mecklenburg embarked on an expedition with
the intention of exploring Rwanda and the eastern Bel-
gian Congo. He was accompanied
by the geologist Egon
von Kirschstein, botanist Johannes Mildbraed, zoologist
Hermann
Schubotz, anthropologist Jan Czekanowski,
Lieutenant and cartographer Max Weiss, physician and
bacteriologist
W. von Raven, as well as Lieutenant Wal-
ter von Wiese und Kaiserwaldau, Friedrich
Weidemann,
Sergeant Czeczatka and 25 Askari (Herzog zu Mecklen-
burg 1909).
They travelled by train to Lake Victoria and
trekked to northeastern
Rwanda, where they collected
at Lake Mohasi (see Bamps 1975).
Having visited the
court of King Yuhi V. Musinga at Niansa, Mildbraed and
Schubotz left the expedition for about two weeks in or-
der to collect plants
and animals in the Nyungwe forest
(= Rugege Wald). By March 1908,
Mildbraed had vis-
ited Lake Kivu and the Virunga Volcanoes, followed by
the
eastern Congo (Ituri, Aruwimi) and the Ruwenzori
mountains. In May 1908 the
expedition party travelled
down the river Congo by steamboat until they
reached
the western coast of Africa. They arrived in Hamburg on
30th June
1908. The scientific results, including zoology,
were not published until 1925. The botanical
volume, ed-
ited by Mildbraed (1910) covered 718 pages. The ferns
and fern allies
were studied by Brause (1910), Brause &
Hieronymus (1910) and Hieronymus (1910). The lyco-
phytes were identified by Herter. The authors recognized
116 species collected
during the expedition, among them
12 new species and one
new variety. They recorded 47
species for Rwanda, five of them described
as new (see
Table 3). Their treatment would remain a classic work
and, for almost 70 years, the only account for Rwanda
and D. R. Congo (former
Zaïre).
The next comprehensive work on the ferns was com-
piled by Pichi Sermolli (1983, 1985). He published an
overview of the ferns of eastern D. R. Congo, Rwanda
and Burundi. In these papers, he listed all available col-
lections from the region, except those of Mildbraed, and
the account is based on his own collections from 1956
and on those from researchers who mostly worked in the
area between 1956 and 1982. Pichi Sermolli himself col-
lected only for a few weeks in Rwanda, mainly in the
Nyungwe Forest. But he included in his work many col-
lections from various collectors. He described 15 new
species, nine of them from Rwanda (see Table 3). In total,
Pichi Sermolli recorded 112 species from Rwanda. He
was aware of the outstanding botanical and zoological
diversity of the region and stated that the Albertine Rift
was poorly studied.
While a Flora for the seed plants of the Albert Na-
tional Park (today Parc National des Virunga in D. R.
Congo and Volcano National Park in Rwanda) was pub-
lished by Robyns (1947, 1948) and Robyns & Tournay
(1955), nothing was available for the ferns. In 1945 Taton
produced a handwritten manuscript for the ferns of this
national park, but it was never published (Bamps 1990).
The French botanist H. Humbert was the first to collect
on Mt Kahuzi and Mt Biéga in 1929, and also visited
the Virunga volcanoes. A. R. Christiaensen, a private re-
searcher associated with the Institut de Recherche Scien-
tifique en Afrique Centrale (IRSAC), collected ferns in
Rwanda between 1955 and 1957.
After the independence of Rwanda and D. R. Congo
(then Zaïre), several botanists continued to work in this
phytogeographically interesting region. From December
1971 to March 1972 and in 1974, the members of the
“Mission des Volcans”, P. H. Auquier, P. Bamps, J. E. J.
Lambinon, and P. Van der Veken collected in the Nyung-
we (= Rugege) Forest and on the volcanoes in Rwanda.
They also made extensive collections on Mt Kahuzi, Mt
Biéga and around the Irangi Station in D. R. Congo. G.
Bouxin and M. Radoux collected in Akagera National
Park between 1969 and 1970, and G. Bouxin made col-
lections of ferns between 1970 and 1972 in Nyungwe
Forest. During botanical explorations for the “Flore du
Rwanda, Spermatophytes” (Troupin 1978, 1983, 1985,
1988), G. Troupin also collected ferns, mainly between
1956 and 1982. Since 1969, single volumes on ferns of
the Flore d’Afrique Centrale (previously Flore du Congo
du Rwanda et du Burundi) have appeared. Until now only
volumes of ferns dealing with smaller families have been
published (Actiniopteridaceae: Lawalrée 1969a, Azol-
laceae: Lawalrée 1976, Blechnaceae: Lawalrée 1971,
Davalliaceae: Lawalrée 1993, Equisetaceae: Lawalrée
1969b, Lindsaeaceae: Kramer 1971, Lycopodiaceae: La-
walrée 1989, Marsileaceae: Launert 1975, Nephrolepi-
daceae: Lawalrée 2000, Osmundaceae: Lewalle 1973,
Parkeriaceae: Lawalrée 1969c, Psilotaceae: Lawalrée
1969d, Schizaeaceae: Lawalrée 1970). Only in the treat-
ment of Selaginellaceae (Bizzari 1985) was a larger
number of 23 taxa included. Therefore, until now a to-
tal of 74 fern species from Central Africa (D. R. Congo,
Rwanda, Burundi) have been subject to taxonomic treat-
ment.
Kornaś & al. (1993) provided a distribution atlas of
the ferns and fern allies of Rwanda based on the collec-
tions published by Pichi Sermolli (1983, 1985) and those
of K. A. Nowak. The latter, a priest, lived in Rwanda from
1978 to 1984 and collected ferns in his spare time over al-
most all Rwanda (Kornaś & Nowak 1991). Seven species
were mentioned for the first time for Rwanda. The major-
ity of his specimens are deposited in Krakow (KRA) with
duplicates in Meise (BR). Dzwonko & Kornaś (1994) an-
alysed the distribution patterns and diversity of Rwandan
ferns.
From 1984 to 2022 the first author (EF) studied the
flora and vegetation of Rwanda and eastern D. R. Congo.
He was among the first to collect in remote sites and bo-
tanically undercollected regions (e.g. Cyamudongo For-
est, Busaga Forest, Kagitumba, Ibanda Makera etc.). He
found 39 taxa for the first time in Rwanda, among them
six species (see Table 3). 24 species are recorded for the
first time in this checklist. The other 10 new records and
the six new species have been published elsewhere.
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151Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Fig. 1. Cystopteris diaphana, E. Fischer s.n. – A, B: habit; C: frond, adaxial view; D: frond, abaxial view. – A–D: Rwanda, foot of
Mt Bisoke, 22 Sep 2022, photographs by and © Eberhard Fischer. – Scale bars: A = 5 cm; B–D = 1 cm.
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152 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Table 1. Species number, species/area ratio and endemics of clubmosses, quillworts and ferns of continental African countries
(including Cape Verde and islands of Gulf of Guinea).
Country No. of species Area (km²) Species/area ratio No. of endemics % of endemics
Tanzania 423 945,087 0.00045 33 7.80%
D. R. Congo 314 2,345,409 0.00013 31 9.87%
South Africa 297 1,221,037 0.00024 50 16.84%
Cameroon 292 475,442 0.00061 18 6.16%
Kenya 290 580,367 0.00050 12 4.14%
Zimbabwe 289 390,757 0.00074 6 2.08%
Uganda 266 241,037 0.00110 10 3.76%
Mozambique 257 801,590 0.00032 4 1.56%
Malawi 236 118,484 0.00199 0 0%
Bioko 214 2017 0.10610 11 5.14%
Angola 212 1,246,700 0.00017 3 1.42%
Rwanda 208 26,338 0.00790 28 13.46%
Liberia 198 111,369 0.00178 3 1.52%
Burundi 182 27,834 0.00654 16 8.79%
Zambia 177 752,617 0.00024 4 2.26%
Nigeria 177 928,766 0.00019 1 0.56%
Ethiopia 175 1,104,300 0.00016 5 2.86%
Sudan (incl. South Sudan) 171 2,505,813 0.00007 1 0.58%
Guinea 155 245,857 0.00063 1 0.65%
Ghana 151 238,537 0.00063 2 1.32%
Côte d’Ivoire 143 322,463 0.00044 0 0%
Gabon 139 267,667 0.00052 3 2.16%
Congo 139 342,000 0.00041 1 0.72%
Equatorial Guinea 133 28,051 0.00474 1 0.75%
Sierra Leone 129 71,740 0.00180 1 0.78%
São Tomé 128 17 7.52941 13 10.16%
Swaziland 118 17,363 0.00680 5 4.24%
Central African Republic 93 622,984 0.00015 1 1.08%
Principe 64 136 0.47059 6 9.38%
Namibia 59 824,116 0.00007 8 13.56%
Benin 59 112,622 0.00052 0 0%
Togo 56 56,785 0.00099 0 0%
Botswana 42 581,730 0.00007 6 14.29%
Annobón 40 17 2.35294 4 10.00%
Somalia 40 637,657 0.00006 0 0%
Mali 39 1,240,192 0.00003 0 0%
Chad 37 1,284,000 0.00003 0 0%
Cape Verde 36 4033 0.00893 1 2.78%
Senegal 35 196,722 0.00018 0 0%
Burkina Faso 28 274,200 0.00010 1 3.57%
Eritrea 24 117,600 0.00020 1 4.17%
Guinea Bissau 24 36,125 0.00066 0 0%
Gambia 9 10,689 0.00084 0 0%
Niger 4 1,267,000 0.000003 0 0%
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153Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Diversity and endemism
Roux (2009: 2) listed 166 species of ferns and fern allies
for Rwanda. Of these two records (Asplenium goetzei and
Trichomanes crispiforme) are erroneous and therefore ex-
cluded here. As a result of intensive field work, we were
able to add 38 species, either as new country records or
as species new to science. Roux (2012) provided three
further species records in his monograph of Dryopteris.
Three species (Pseudolycopodiella anis, Cystopteris di-
aphana, Polystichum wilsonii) have been overlooked by
Roux (2009). Therefore, 208 species are actually known.
Rwanda is placed twelfth among the top countries
with a species-rich fern flora. The following numbers
are mainly adopted from Roux (2009) with additional
records from recent literature and own research. Tan-
zania is number one, harbouring 423 species, followed
by the D. R. Congo with 314 species, South Africa with
297 species, Cameroon with 292 species, Kenya 290 spe-
cies, Zimbabwe 289 species, Uganda 266 species, Mo-
zambique 257 species (Odorico & al. 2022), Malawi 236
species, Bioko 214 species, Angola 212 species, Rwanda
208 species, and Liberia 198 species. For the adjacent
country Burundi only 182 species are recorded, followed
by Zambia and Nigeria, each with 177 species, Ethiopia
with 175 species, Sudan (including South Sudan) with
171 species and Guinea with 155 species (Roux 2009;
Ballings 2022) (Table 1).
The picture is quite dierent if we look at the species/
area ratio. From this perspective, top of the list are the
small islands of São Tomé with 128 species in 17 km²
and a species/area ratio of 7.52941. Then come Anno-
bón with 40 species in 17 km² and a species/area ratio of
2.35294, Principe with 64 species in 136 km² and a ratio
of 0.47059, Bioko with 214 species in 2017 km² and a
ratio of 0.10610, and the Cape Verde islands with 36 spe-
cies in 4033 km² and a ratio of 0.00893. Rwanda with
208 species and a surface area of 26,338 km² is ranked
at place six with a ratio of 0.00790 (Table 1). The large
and diverse countries like Tanzania with 423 species and
an area of 945,087 km² and the D. R. Congo with 314
species and a surface of 2,345,409 km² have only a ratio
of 0.00045 and 0.00013, respectively. However, the high
species number recognized for Rwanda is certainly the
result of intensive collecting during the last three years,
and Burundi and the eastern D. R. Congo probably har-
bour many species not yet recorded.
The complete absence of neophytic fern species is
remarkable. The taxa known as neophytes in other parts
of the World are the following: Azolla filiculoides Lam.
is known from Morocco and southern Africa and has no
natural occurrence on the African continent. The spe-
cies has not yet been recorded for Rwanda. Nephrolepis
bi serrata Schott is frequently cultivated in Rwanda but
there is no occurrence outside gardens. However, it has its
natural distribution in all neighbouring countries. Other
potential neophytes like Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze)
A.Br., Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
and Pteris vittata L have already been collected by Mild-
braed in 1907 and occur in their natural distribution area.
Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn is represented by the Af-
rican subsp. capense, and its huge stands are already de-
scribed by Mildbraed (1910) as “Pteridium-Formation”.
The number of Albertine Rift endemics and local en-
demics is considerably high in Rwanda. The Albertine
Rift, as defined by Plumptre & al. (2007), includes much
of the western Rift valley down to southern Tanzania and
northern Zambia. We define it as the region from Lake
Albert to the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika. Examples
of important forest areas are Budongo Forest, Kibale NP,
Ruwenzori, the Virunga Massif, Nyungwe and Kibira
NP, Bururi Forest, Kahuzi-Biéga NP, Itombwe Massif,
Mt Kabobo, Mahale Mts. NP, and the Marungu Plateau
(Plumptre & al. 2007).
From the 208 species of ferns and fern allies recorded
from Rwanda, 20 species are Albertine Rift endemics,
present at least in Rwanda and eastern D. R. Congo or
Burundi (Table 2), and eight species are local endemics,
currently only known from Rwanda (Table 2). Therefore,
28 endemic species are recorded that represent 13.46% of
the total fern flora.
If we compare the number of endemic species, Rwan-
da is ranked at number four after South Africa, which has
50 endemic species (mainly in Isoetes and Cheilanthes),
Tanzania with 33 species and D. R. Congo with 31. Con-
cerning the percentage of endemics for the whole fern
flora, Rwanda with 13.46% ranks third after South Africa
with 16.8% and Namibia with 13.5 %, and is followed by
São Tomé and Annobón, each with 10%, and D. R. Congo
with 9.8% (Table 1, 2). A list of all range-restricted ferns
and fern-allies from continental Africa is provided in Sup-
plementary table S1 (see Supplemental content online).
Checklist
The taxa are arranged in systematic order after PPG
(2016), and Wei & Zhang (2022). For the first records,
we cite the name under which the relevant author pub-
lished it. Misidentifications are recognizable by “auct.
non”, synonyms bear full authors citations. New records
for Rwanda are marked with “+” before the species name.
The Checklist contains 208 species and two varieties.
The most species-rich fern-genus in Rwanda is Aspleni-
um with 44 species (almost every fifth species is an As-
plenium), followed by Pteris (11 species) and Dryopteris
(10 species out of 26 recorded by Roux (2012) for the
whole African continent).
In Rwanda the exploration of the pteridological flora
had three major periods: at the beginning of the 20th cen-
tury, culminating with the collections from Mildbraed
(Mildbraed 1910), a second period in the 1950s with the
main collector Pichi Sermolli (Pichi Sermolli 1983, 1985),
and a third, from 1984 until today mainly with the collec-
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154 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
tions from the first author, Eberhard Fischer. An enumera-
tion of the number of species mentioned by the above cited
collectors for the first time for Rwanda is found in Table 3.
Lycopodiopsida
Isoetaceae
Isoetes rwandensis Eb. Fisch. & Lobin
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2022: 332).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Lycopodiaceae
Huperzioideae
Phlegmariurus afromontanus (Pic. Serm.) A. R. Field
& Bostock
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 183) as Huperzia
afromontana Pic. Serm.
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Phlegmariurus bampsianus (Pic. Serm.) A. R. Field &
Bostock
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 193) as Huperzia
bampsiana Pic. Serm.
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Phlegmariurus gnidioides (L. f.) A. R. Field & Bostock
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 184) as Huperzia
gnidioides L. f.
Phlegmariurus mildbraedii (Herter) A. R. Field & Bos-
tock
First recorded — Brause (1910: 38) (determination W.
Herter) as Lycopodium mildbraedii Herter.
Phlegmariurus saururus (Lam.) B. Øllg.
First recorded — Brause (1910: 38) (determination W.
Herter) as Lycopodium saururus Lam.
Phlegmariurus verticillatus (L. f.) A. R. Field & Testo
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 185) as Huperzia
verticillata (L. f.) Trevis.
Lycopodielloideae
Palhinaea cernua (L.) Carv. Vasc. & Franco
First recorded — Brause (1910: 39) (determination W.
Herter) as Lycopodium capillaceum (Willd. ex Spring)
Willd. ex Spring.
Pseudolycopodiella anis (Bory ex Willd.) Holub
First recorded — Brause (1910: 39) (determination W.
Herter) as Lycopodium carolinianum auct. non L.
Note — Although already mentioned by Brause (1910)
(J. Mildbraed 968, B 20 0109407 [https://herbarium
.bgbm.org/object/B200109407]), this species has been
overlooked by recent researchers (e.g. Roux 2009).
Lycopdioideae
Lycopodium clavatum L.
First recorded — Brause (1910: 39) (determination W.
Herter) as Lycopodium trichophyllum auct. non Desv.
Selaginellaceae
+Selaginella carorum (Milde) Hieron.
New record — R: E P: Nyaru-
buye, Rugarama, quartzitic rocks on sun-exposed rock
faces, 02°09'16.12''S, 30°42'56.19'', 1743 m, 10 Apr 2005,
E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL); Nyarubuye, 02°08'54.74''S,
30°45'00.37''E, 1749 m, 30 Mar 2014, E. Fischer s.n.
(KOBL).
Selaginella goudotana Spring
First recorded — Bizzarri in Pichi Sermolli (1983: 188)
as Selaginella goudotana var. abyssinica (Spring) Biz-
zarri.
Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze) A. Br.
First recorded — Hieronymus (1910: 40).
Selaginella lewalleana Bizzarri
First recorded — Bizzarri (1981: 222).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
+Selaginella mittenii Baker
New record — R: W P: Nyungwe
NP, Cyamudongo Forest, wet rocks in montane forest,
02°33'04.03''S, 28°59'48.58''E, 1732 m, 6 Sep 2017, E.
Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Selaginella soyauxii Hieron.
First recorded — Bizzarri in Pichi Sermolli (1983: 189).
+Selaginella tenerrima A. Br. ex Kuhn
New record — R: W P: Nyung-
we NP, Cyamudongo Forest, Forest floor or on wet rocks
near streams and waterfalls in montane forest, 1732 m,
02°33'04.03''S, 28°59'48.58''E, 4 Apr 2021, E. Fischer
s.n. (KOBL).
Note — Roux (2009: 28) listed Rwanda under Selagi-
nella tenerrima, albeit without mentioning a published
record. Bizzari (1985) has recorded the species only in
D. R. Congo and Burundi. Therefore, our collections
from Rwanda represent the first definite record of the
species.
Polypodiopsida
Ophioglossidae
Ophioglossaceae
Ophioglossum costatum R. Br.
First recorded — Brause (1910: 38) as Ophioglossum fi-
brosum Schumach.
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155Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Fig. 2. Cystopteris diaphana, E. Fischer s.n. – A, B: pinnules, showing veins ending in sinuses between teeth (arrows); C,D:
SEM micrographs of spores. – Cystopteris fragilis, E. Fischer s.n. – E, F: SEM micrographs of spores. – A–D: Rwanda,
foot of Mt Bisoke, 22 Sep 2021, photographs by and © Eberhard Fischer (A, B) and by Eberhard Fischer, Wolfram Lobin
and Yaron Malkowsky (C, D). – E, F: Germany, Koblenz, photographs by Eberhard Fischer, Wolfram Lobin and Yaron Mal-
kowsky. – Scale bars: A, B = 5 mm; C, E = 10 µm; D, F = 8 µm.
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156 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
+Ophioglossum thomasii R. T. Clausen
New record — R: N P: W Mu-
kamira S of Bigogwe, granitic outcrops, 01°38'45.56''S,
29°23'37.08''E, 2425 m, Oct 1989, E. Fischer s.n. (KOB).
Ophioglossum vulgatum subsp. africanum Pocock ex J.
E. Burrows
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 193) as Ophio-
glossum vulgatum L.
Marattiidae
Marattiaceae
Ptisana africana Christenh.
First recorded — Brause (1910: 37) as Marattia fraxinea
auct. non Sm.
Polypodiidae
Anemiaceae
Anemia lepigera (Baker) Christenh.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 209) as Mohria
lepigera (Baker) Baker.
Aspleniaceae
Asplenium abyssinicum Fée
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 125).
Asplenium adiantum-nigrum L.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 9).
Asplenium aethiopicum (N. L. Burm.) Becherer subsp.
aethiopicum
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 19) as
Asplenium furcatum Thunb.
Asplenium africanum Desv.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 9).
Asplenium boltonii Hook. ex Schelpe
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 9).
Asplenium bugoiense Hieron.
First recorded — Hieronymus in Brause & Hieronymus
(1910: 10).
Asplenium burundense Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 10).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Asplenium cancellatum Alston
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 10).
Asplenium ceii Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 12) as
Asplenium loxoscaphoides auct. non Baker.
Asplenium centrafricanum Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 12) as A.
sertularioides auct. non Baker.
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Asplenium christii Hieron.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 14).
Asplenium dregeanum Kunze
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 131) as Asple-
nium dregeanum subsp. brachypterum (Kunze ex Houlst.
& T. Moore) Pic. Ser.
Asplenium elliottii C. H. Wright
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 8) as
Asplenium chlaenopteron auct. non Fée.
Asplenium erectum Bory ex Willd.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 133) as Asple-
nium erectum var. usambarense (Hieron.) Schelpe.
Asplenium friesiorum C. Chr.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 16) as
Asplenium decrescens auct. non Kunze.
Asplenium gemmascens Alston
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 135).
Asplenium hypomelas Kuhn
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 123) as Loxo-
scaphe nigrescens T. Moore.
Asplenium inaequilaterale Willd.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 19).
Asplenium linckii Kuhn
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 143).
Asplenium lividum Mett.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 19).
Asplenium loxoscaphoides Baker
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 12).
Asplenium majus (Hieron.) Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 19) as
Asplenium goetzei var. majus Hieron. in Brause & Hiero-
nymus (1910: 8).
Asplenium mannii Hook.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 144).
Asplenium markusbeckeri Eb. Fisch. & Lobin
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 24).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
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157Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Fig. 3. Habit of Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. dichotoma, E. Fischer s.n. – A: Rwanda, Mt Gahinga, 20 Mar 2022, photograph by
and © Eberhard Fischer; B–D: Germany, in cultivation in Botanical Gardens Bonn, photographs by and © Eberhard Fischer and
Wolfram Lobin. – Scale bars: A, B = 1 cm.
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158 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens D. E. Mey.
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 46).
Asplenium uhligii Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 136) as Asple-
nium kassneri auct. non Hieron.
Asplenium uschiae Eb. Fisch. & Lobin
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 50).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Asplenium volkensii Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 153).
Hymenasplenium kenyense Li Bing Zhang, K. W. Xu &
Kamau
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 57).
Athyriaceae
Athyrium newtonii Baker
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 154) as Athyrium
scandicinum auct. non (Willd.) C. Presl.
Athyrium schimperi Moug. ex Fée
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 155).
Deparia boryana (Willd.) M. Kato
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 155) as Dryo-
athyrium boryanum (Willd.) Ching.
Diplazium cyamudongense Eb. Fisch. & Lobin
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023b: 170).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Diplazium humbertii (C. Chr.) Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 155).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Diplazium zanzibaricum (Baker) C. Chr.
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 12).
Blechnaceae
Lomaridium attenuatum (Sw.) Gasper & V. A. O. Dit-
trich
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 191) as Blech-
num giganteum (Kaulf.) Schltdl.
Lomariocycas tabularis (Thunb.) Gasper & A. R. Sm.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 27) as
Blechnum tabulare (Thunb.) Kuhn.
Cyatheaceae
Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R. M. Tryon
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 254).
Asplenium megalura Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 144).
Asplenium mildbraedii Hieron.
First recorded — Hieronymus in Brause & Hieronymus
(1910: 21).
Asplenium monanthes L.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 15).
Asplenium musiraense Viane
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 127) as Asple-
nium buettneri auct. non Hieron.
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Asplenium normale D. Don
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 146).
Asplenium preussii Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 147) as Asple-
nium pseudoauriculatum Schelpe.
Asplenium protensum Schrad.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 16).
Asplenium ramicola Eb. Fisch. & Lobin
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 35).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Asplenium rukaraense Hieron.
First recorded — Hieronymus in Brause & Hieronymus
(1910: 12).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Asplenium rutifolium (P. J. Bergius) Kunze
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 152) as Asple-
nium strangeanum Pic. Serm.
Asplenium sandersonii Hook.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 15).
Asplenium sertularioides Baker
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 12).
Asplenium smedsii Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 152).
Asplenium stuhlmannii Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 152).
Asplenium tenuicaudatum Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 153).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Asplenium theciferum var. concinnum (Schrad.) Schelpe
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 124) as Loxo-
scaphe thecifera var. concinna (Schrad.) Kuhn.
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159Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Fig. 4. Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. pinnatiloba, E. Fischer s.n. – A, B, D: habit; C: frond. – A–C: Rwanda, Mt Gahinga, 20
Mar 2022 (A), 5 Oct 2006 (B, C), photographs by and © Eberhard Fischer; D: Germany, in cultivation in Botanical Gardens
Bonn, photograph by and © Wolfram Lobin. – Scale bars: A = 5 cm; B–D = 1 cm.
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160 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Alsophila manniana (Hook.) R. M. Tryon
First recorded — Brause (1910: 1) as Cyathea engleri
Hieron.
Cystopteridaceae
Cystopteris diaphana (Bory) Blasdell.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 2) men-
tioned Cystopteris fragilis auct. non (L.) Bernh., but this
was overlooked by recent researchers (e.g. Roux 2009).
Note — Cystopteris diaphana [= C. viridula (Desv.)
Desv.] according to Lobin (1986), is distinguished by
the veins ending in sinuses between the teeth (vs end-
ing in apices of teeth in C. fragilis) and the spiny-lacunar
spores, so densely covered with spines that they obscure
the surface (vs echinate spores loosely covered with
spines in C. fragilis) (Fig. 1, 2). He recorded the species
for the Canary Islands.
Fraser-Jenkins (1986) made the first record for the
African mainland (Cameroon). A description of C.
viridula with comparison to C. fragilis is also provid-
ed by Murphy & Rumsey (2005). Verdcourt (2003: 5)
distinguished two subspecies of C. fragilis. His “sub-
species B” exactly matches the key characters of C. di-
aphana. Roux (2009) followed Verdcourt’s taxonomic
view (2003) and listed “subspecies B” from Algeria,
Morocco, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya,
Lesotho and South Africa. All records probably belong
to C. diaphana but need verification by spore charac-
ters. According to Roux (2009), this species is known
only from the Comoro Islands and Réunion. The author
also erroneously placed C. viridula as a synonym of C.
fragilis. Here we provide the first definite record of C.
diaphana for Central Africa.
Davalliaceae
+Davallia chaerophylloides (Poir.) Steud.
New record — R: W P: Ru-
bavu (= Gisenyi), epiphyte on oil palm, 01°42'11.62''S,
29°15'32.15''E, 1472 m, 4 Oct 2022, E. Fischer s.n.
(KOBL).
Dennstaedtiaceae
Blotiella bouxiniana Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 262).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Blotiella glabra (Bory) R. M. Tryon
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 31) as
Lonchitis pubescens Willd.
Histiopteris incisa (Thunb.) J. Sm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 261).
Hypolepis rugosula subsp. pichi-sermolliana Schwartsb.
& J. Prado
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 258) as Hy-
polepis rugosula var. africana C. Chr.
Note — Schwartsburd & Prado (2014) revised the dif-
ficult species complex Hypolepis rugosula and separated
15 geographically distinct subspecies.
Hypolepis sparsisora (Schrad.) Kuhn
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 260).
Microlepia speluncae (L.) T. Moore
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 6).
Note — Kornaś & Nowak (1991) claim this species as
a new record for the Flora of Rwanda, overlooked the
above citation.
Pteridium aquilinum subsp. capense (Thunb.) C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 260) as Pteri-
dium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn subsp. aquilinum.
+Pteridium centrali-africanum (Hieron.) Alston
New record — R: E P: rocky
savanna N of Karembo, 02°05'58.82''S, 30°26'45.86''E,
1389 m, 8 Dec 2021, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Note — Thomson & al. (2005) and Roux (2009: 112)
cited Rwanda among the distribution records. However,
we could not find any earlier record for the country, and
neither Thomson & al. (2005) nor Roux (2009) cited any
sources. Our collection is apparently the first record.
All Pteridium specimens from Meise (BR) collected
in Rwanda, three of which were misidentified as Pteri-
dium aquilinum var. africanum (Bonap.) R. M. Tryon (=
P. centrali-africanum), are P. aquilinum subsp. capense.
The latter taxon is found in montane forests on open
ground and clearings, while P. centrali-africanum is re-
stricted to grassland and dry forests.
Didymochlaenaceae
Didymochlaena spinulosa (Brause) Li Bing Zhang & H.
Shang
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 176) as Didymo-
chlaena truncatula auct. non (Sw.) J. Sm.
Note — Shang & Zhang (2023) published a revision of
the formerly monotypic genus Didymochlaena and rec-
ognized 22 species.
Dryopteridaceae
Dryopteridoideae
Arachniodes webbiana subsp. foliosa (C. Chr.) Gibby
& al.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 175) as Arachni-
odes foliosa (C. Chr.) Schelpe.
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161Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Dryopteris antarctica (Baker) C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 157) as Dryo-
pteris callolepis C. Chr.
Dryopteris athamantica (Kunze) Kuntze
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 157).
Dryopteris fadenii Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Roux (2012: 48).
Dryopteris kilemensis (Kuhn) Kuntze
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 157).
Note — Kuhn (1868: 24) called his new species Aspidi-
um kilmense and cited as collection “Kilma”. Kunze
(1891: 813) placed it in Dryopteris as D. kilmensis (not
“kilemensis” as Roux [2009: 122] states). In his check-
list, Roux (2009: 122) listed the species as D. kilemen-
sis. However, in his monograph Roux (2012: 63) again
named it D. kilmensis, following Kuhn (1868).
Kuhn (1868: 24) and Roux (2012: 122) gave the type
locality as “Kilma”. We have checked the holotype in B
(B 20 0051628!), where the collectors Von der Decken
& Kersten clearly wrote “Kilema ad radices montis Kili-
mandjaro”. Therefore, the species name must be D. kile-
mensis.
+Dryopteris lewalleana Pic. Serm.
New record — R: W P, Nyung-
we NP, Cyamudongo Forest, terrestrial in montane
forests, 2003 m, 02°32'29.33''S, 28°59'06.56''E, 3 Apr
2021, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL); Nyungwe NP, Cyamu-
dongo Forest, terrestrial in montane forests, 1991 m,
02°33'32.58''S, 28°59'04.86''E, 18 Sep 2021, E. Fischer
s.n. (KOBL).
Note — Dryopteris lewalleana was described from Bu-
rundi, where it occurred in the Kibira National Park.
This NP is the continuation of Nyungwe NP in Rwanda,
where it was found recently.
Dryopteris manniana (Hook.) C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 163).
Dryopteris pentheri (Krasser) C. Chr.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 3) as
Dryopteris filix-mas var. elongata sensu Brause & Hiero-
nymus non D. elongata auct. non (Sw.) Sim.
Dryopteris ruwenzoriensis C. Chr. ex Fraser-Jenkins
First recorded — Roux (2012: 97).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Dryopteris schimperiana (Hochst. ex A. Br.) C. Chr.
First recorded — Roux (2012: 101).
Dryopteris schizopaleata Eb. Fisch. & Lobin
First recorded — Fischer & Lobin (2023a: 138).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Dryopteris squamiseta (Hook.) Kuntze
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 156) as Notho-
peranema squamisetum (Hook.) Ching.
Polystichum transvaalense N. C. Anthony
First recorded — Roux (2000: 51).
Polystichum wilsonii Christ
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 4) as
Polystichum aculeatum auct. non (L.) Roth.
Note — Roux (2000: 56) did not list Rwanda in his “Dis-
tribution”, but in his paragraph “without exact locality”,
he listed a specimen from “Karisimbi (versant sud) nr.
Biuri, c. 3000 m, De Witte 1246 (BR)”, which is a local-
ity in Rwanda.
Elaphoglossoideae
Elaphoglossum acrostichoides (Hook. & Grev.) Schelpe
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 180).
Elaphoglossum aubertii (Desv.) T. Moore
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 181).
Elaphoglossum conforme (Sw.) J. Sm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 181).
Elaphoglossum deckenii (Kuhn) C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 181).
Elaphoglossum hybridum (Bory) Brack.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 181).
Elaphoglossum kivuense Schelpe
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 182).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Elaphoglossum lancifolium (Desv.) C. V. Morton
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 186) as Elapho-
glossum salicifolium (Willd. ex Kaulf.) Alston.
Elaphoglossum rwandense Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 184).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Elaphoglossum tanganjicense Kraijna ex Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 186).
+Lastreopsis vogelii (Hook.) Tindale
New record — R: N P:
Kinigi, 25 Jun 1961, S. C. Antun Gupfert 1005
(BR0000017581714!).
Note — This specimen was deposited in BR as Lastre-
opsis sp. It has never been determined and published, and
the species is not recorded for Rwanda in the checklist
of Roux (2009). We searched for the species at Kinigi
without success.
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162 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Gleicheniaceae
Dicranopteris linearis (N. L. Burm.) Underw.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 196).
Gleichenia elongata Baker
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 196) as Glei-
cheniastrum elongatum (Baker) Nakai.
Sticherus flagellaris subsp. tomentosus (Reimers) Verdc.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 197) as Sticherus
inflexus Pic. Serm.
Note — Roux (2009: 50) listed both taxa for Rwanda.
However, Sticherus inflexus is generally considered to be
a synonym of S. flagellaris subsp. tomentosus.
Hymenophyllaceae
Trichomanoideae
Abrodictyum rigidum (Sw.) Ebihara & Dubuisson
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 252) as Seleno-
desmium rigidum (Sw.) Copel.
+Crepidomanes chevalieri (Christ.) Ebihara & Dubuis-
son
New record — R: N P: Volcano
NP, Ibuhanga Forest, terrestrial in submontane forest on
lava rocks, 01°34'12.56''S, 29°38'08.17''E, 1625 m, 30
Mar 2009, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Note — Roux (2009) listed Crepidomanes chevalieri for
Rwanda but without citing any source.
+Crepidomanes clarenceanum (F. Ballard) Pic. Serm.
New record — R: W P: Nyungwe
NP, Cyamudongo Forest, epiphyte on mossy trees, often
forming dense carpets, 02°33'04.03''S, 28°59'48.58''E,
1732 m, 6 Jan 2019, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Crepidomanes frappieri (Cordem.) J. P. Roux
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 251) as Vanden-
boschia ramitricha (Faden) Pic. Serm.
Crepidomanes inopinatum (Pic. Serm.) J. P. Roux
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 245) as Vanden-
boschia inopinata Pic. Serm.
Crepidomanes mannii (Hook.) J. P. Roux
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 245) as Gono-
cormus mannii (Hook.) Copel.
Crepidomanes melanotrichum (Schltdl.) J. P. Roux
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 249) as Vanden-
boschia melanotricha (Schltdl.) Pic. Serm.
Didymoglossum erosum (Willd.) J. P. Roux
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 254) as Microgo-
nium erosum (Willd.) C. Presl.
Polyphlebium borbonicum (Bosch) Ebihara & Dubuis-
son
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 245) as Vanden-
boschia borbonica (Bosch) G. Kunkel.
Vandenboschia gigantea (Bory ex Willd.) Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 250) as Vanden-
boschia radicans auct. non (Sw.) Copel.
Hymenophylloideae
Hymenophyllum capillare Desv.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 243) as Sphaero-
cionium capillare (Desv.) Copel.
Hymenophyllum kuhnii C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 242) as Meco-
dium kuhnii (C. Chr.) Copel.
Hymenophyllum peltatum (Poir.) Desv.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 244).
Hymenophyllum splendidum Bosch
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 243) as Sphaero-
cionium splendidum (Bosch) Copel.
Hymenophyllum triangulare Baker
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 244) as Meringi-
um triangulare (Baker) Copel.
Lindsaeaceae
Odontosoria africana F. Ballard
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 6) as
Odontosoria melleri auct. non (Hook.) C. Chr.
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Lomariopsidaceae
Lomariopsis warneckei (Hieron.) Alston
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 180).
Marsileaceae
Marsilea gibba A. Br.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 241).
+Marsilea minuta L. var. minuta
New record — R: E P: Buge-
sera, Nyamata, seasonal shallow ponds on ferricretes,
02°07'00.91''S, 30°04'07.67''E, 1415 m, 9 Jan 2012, E.
Fischer s.n. (KOBL); Mpanga, seasonal shallow ponds
on ferricretes, 02°04'56.65''S, 30°46'39.96''E, 1310 m,
Oct 1985, E. Fischer; Akagera NP, near Lake Ihema,
1Oct 2013, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Note — Pichi Sermolli (1983) cited a specimen of Mar-
silea sp. cf. M. minuta L. from eastern Rwanda (piste
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163Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Gabiro-Gatsibu, km 7, marais Kibondu, env. 1500 m, Van
der Veken 10691 [BR0000017596121!]). The specimen
is sterile and unidentifiable. There are four additional
sterile specimens at BR.
Roux (2009: 56) listed Rwanda under Marsilea minu-
ta, but did not mention a published record. Therefore,
our collections from Rwanda represent the first definite
record of the species.
Nephrolepidaceae
Nephrolepis undulata (Afz. ex Sw.) J. Sm.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 6) as Ne-
phrolepis cordifolia auct. non (L.) C. Presl.
Oleandraceae
Oleandra distenta Kunze
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 189).
Osmundaceae
Osmunda hilsenbergii Grev. & Hook.
First recorded — Brause (1910: 37) as Osmunda regalis
var. brevifolia Desv. and O. regalis var. capensis (Presl.)
Milde.
Polypodiaceae
Crypsinoideae
Drynaria volkensii Hieron.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 33).
Note — Some authors prefer the name Aglaomorpha
volkensii (Hieron.) Hovenkamp & S. Linds. for this tax-
on, but we follow Wei & Zhang (2022).
Grammitidoideae
+Cochlidium serrulatum (SW.) L. E. Bishop
New record — R: W P: Nyungwe
NP, Karamba, on moss cushions on wet rocks in montane
forest, 1997 m, 02°29'10.98''S, 29°06'13.27''E, 20 Mar
2011, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Lellingeria oosora (Baker) A. R. Sm. & R. C. Moran
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 199) as Xipho-
pteris oosora (Baker) Alston.
Melpomene flabelliformis (Poir.) A. R. Sm. & R. C.
Mor an
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 197) as Cteno-
pteris rigescens (Bory ex Willd.) J. Sm.
Zygophlebia villosissima (Hook.) L. E. Bishop
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 198) as Cteno-
pteris villosissima (Hook.) W. J. Harley
Loxogrammoideae
Loxogramme abyssinica (Baker) M. G. Price
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 33) as
Polypodium loxogramma Mett.
Microsoroideae
Lepisorus excavatus (Bory ex Willd.) Ching
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 200, 205) as Ple-
opeltis bambsii Pic. Serm., P. mildbraedii (Hieron.) Pic.
Serm., P. rotunda (Bonap.) Tard.
Lepisorus schraderi (Mett.) Ching
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 206) as Pleo-
peltis schraderi (Mett.) Tard.
+Microsorum scolopendria (Burm. f.) Copel.
New record — R: W P: Rubavu
(= Gisenyi), epiphyte on roadside trees, 01°42'11.62''S,
29°15'32.15''E, 1472 m, 21 Sep 2021, E. Fischer
s.n. (KOBL); Karongi, lithophyte on rocks, 1489 m,
02°03'46.81''S, 29°20'27.99''E, 21 Sep 2021, E. Fischer
s.n. (KOBL); Mashyoza, on volcanic rocks, 1179 m,
02°35'00.06''S, 29°00'59.23''E, 25 Sep 2011, E. Fischer
s.n. (KOBL).
Platyceridoideae
Pyrrosia schimperiana (Mett.) Alston
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 206) as Pyrrosia
mechowii (Brause & Hieron.) Alston
Note — Some authors prefer Hovenkampia schimperiana
(Mett.) Li Bing Zhang & X. M. Zhou as correct name for
this taxon. We follow Wei & Zhang (2022).
Platycerium elephantotis Schweinf.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 206).
Polypodoideae
+Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. dichotoma Hieron. ex Eb.
Fisch. & Lobin, var. nov. (see Taxonomic treatment)
New record — R: Volcano National Park, Mt Ga-
hinga, on bamboo, 2900 m, 20 Mar 2022, E. Fischer, P.
Ballings & B. Wursten s.n. (KOBL).
Pleopeltis macrocarpa (Bory ex Willd.) Kaulf. var. mac-
rocarpa
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 33) as
Lepicystis lanceolata (L.) Diels.
Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. pinnatiloba Hieron. ex Eb.
Fisch. & Lobin, var. nov. (see Taxonomic treatment)
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 33) as
Lepicystis lanceolata var. pinnatilobata Hieron. nom. nud.
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164 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Pteridaceae
Cheilanthoideae
Aleuritopteris farinosa (Forssk.) Fée
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 29) as
Cheilanthes farinosa (Forssk.) Kaulf.
Cheilanthes inaequalis (Kunze) Mett.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 29) as
Notholaena inaequalis Kunze.
Doryopteris concolor (Langsd. & Fisch.) Kuhn
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 28) as
Doriopteris [sic!] concolor.
Pellaea calomelanos (Sw.) Link
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 28) as
Pellaea hastata (L. f.) Link.
Pellaea doniana J. Sm. ex Hook.
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 12).
Pellaea involuta (Sw.) Baker
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 216) as Pallea
[sic!] involuta.
Pellaea pectiniformis Baker
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 12).
Pellaea quadripinnata (Forssk.) Prantl
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 28).
Pellaea schweinfurthii (Hieron.) Hieron.
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 13).
Pellaea viridis (Forssk.) Prantl
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 28).
Cryptogrammoideae
Coniogramme africana Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 236).
Pteridoideae
+Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Link
New record — R: E P: Nyarubuye,
quartzitic rocks, 02°08'48.69''S, 30°45'10.21''E, 1632 m,
12 Mar 2007, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Actiniopteris semiflabellata Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 199).
+Anogramma leptophylla (L.) Link
New record — R: N P: Volcano
NP, foot of Mt Bisoke, 01°27'22.65''S, 29°30'21.67''E,
2717 m, 30 Sep 2009, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL); Volcano
NP, Muhabura, humid volcanic rocks, 01°22'02.11''S,
29°41'36.03''E, 2893 m, 17 Mar 2010, E. Fischer s.n.
(KOBL).
Pityrogramma aurantiaca (Hieron.) C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 236).
Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 13).
Pityrogramma elongata (C. Chr.) Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 237).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Pityrogramma rupicola Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 238).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Pteris auquieri Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 219).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Pteris catoptera Kunze
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 30) as
Pteris quadriaurita auct. non Retz.
Pteris cretica L.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 30).
Pteris dentata Forssk.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 226).
Pteris intricata C. H. Wright
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 227).
Pteris kivuensis C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 227).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Pteris linearis Poir.
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 13).
Pteris microlepis Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 227).
Pteris preussii Hieron.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 231).
Pteris pteridioides (Hook.) F. Ballard
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 233).
Pteris vittata L.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 30) as
Pteris longifolia L.
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165Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Vittarioideae
Adiantum capillus-veneris L.
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 9).
Adiantum incisum Forssk.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 234).
Adiantum poiretii Wikstr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 236) as Adiantum
thalictroides Willd. ex Schltdl.
Antrophyum mannianum Hook.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 241).
Table 2. Endemic and near-endemic clubmosses, quillworts and ferns of Rwanda. – Status: ARE = Albertine Rift endemic; LE =
local endemic.
Status Species Distribution
1 ARE Asplenium burundense D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
2 ARE Asplenium centrafricanum D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
3 ARE Asplenium markusbeckeri D. R. Congo, Rwanda
4 ARE Asplenium musiraense Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania
5 LE Asplenium ramicola Rwanda
6 ARE Asplenium rukararense D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
7 ARE Asplenium tenuicaudatum D. R. Congo, Rwanda
8 ARE Asplenium uschiae D. R. Congo, Rwanda
9 ARE Blotiella bouxiniana Rwanda, Burundi
10 ARE Christella burundensis Rwanda, Burundi
11 LE Diplazium cyamudongoense Rwanda
12 ARE Diplazium humbertii D. R. Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania
13 ARE Dryopteris ruwenzoriensis D. R. Congo, Uganda, Rwanda
14 LE Dryopteris schizopaleata Rwanda
15 ARE Elaphoglossum kivuense D. R. Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan
16 LE Elaphoglossum rwandense Rwanda
17 ARE Haplopteris reekmansii D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
18 LE Isoetes rwandensis Rwanda
19 LE Macrothelypteris rammelooi Rwanda
20 LE Metathelypteris vandervekenii Rwanda
21 ARE Odontosoria africana D. R. Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi
22 ARE Phlegmariurus afromontanus Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania
23 LE Phlegmariurus bampsianus Rwanda
24 ARE Pityrogramma elongata D. R. Congo, Uganda, Rwanda
25 ARE Pityrogramma rupicola D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
26 ARE Pteris auquieri D. R. Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania
27 ARE Pteris kivuensis D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
28 ARE Selaginella lewalleana Rwanda, Burundi
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166 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Haplopteris guineensis (Desv.) E. H. Crane
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 239) as Vittaria
guineensis var. orientalis Hieron.
Haplopteris reekmansii (Pic. Serm.) C. W. Chen & S.
Linds.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 239) as Vittaria
reekmansii Pic. Serm.
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Salviniaceae
+Azolla nilotica Decne ex Mett.
New record — R: W P: Buga-
rama, in rice fields, 02°37'56.24''S, 29°01'00.88''E, 1040
m, 28 Sep 2009, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL). N
P: Lake Bulera E of Butaro, 01°23'13.48''S,
29°47'49.09''E, 1864 m, 4 Dec 2021, E. Fischer s.n.
(KOBL). E P: Lake Mugesera N of Ka-
rembo, Gisaya swamp, 02°03'40.44''S, 30°27'17.54''E,
1339 m, 8 Sep 2021, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL); Rwinkwavu,
floating on the water surface in swamps, 01°57'47.20''S,
30°55'23.33''E, 1360 m, 17 Sep 2009, E. Fischer s.n.
(KOBL).
Azolla pinnata subsp. africana (Desv.) R. M. K. Saun-
ders & K. Fowler
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 192) as Azolla
africana Desv.
Tectariaceae
Arthropteris anniana Lawalrée
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 188) als Arthro-
pteris monocarpa auct. non (Cordem.) C. Chr.
Arthropteris orientalis (Gmel.) Posth.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 189).
Tectaria fernandensis (Baker) C. Chr.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 178).
Tectaria gemmifera (Fée) Alston
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 178).
Thelypteridaceae
Phegopteridoideae
Macrothelypteris rammelooi Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 270).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
Thelypteridoideae
Amauropelta bergiana (Schlecht.) Holttum
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 275).
Amauropelta oppositiformis (C. Chr.) Holttum
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 276).
+Ampelopteris prolifera (Retz.) Copel.
New record — R: W P: Nyung-
we NP, Cyamudongo Forest, terrestrial, mostly along
small streams, occasionally epiphytic in montane forest,
02°32'26.89''S, 28°59'20.46''E, 1941 m, 1 Apr 2021, E.
Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
+×Chrismatopteris holttumii Quansah & D. S. Edwards
New record — R: W P: Nyung-
we NP, Pindura-Bweyeye, swamp in montane forest,
02°30'22.08''S, 29°13'59.40''E, 1960 m, 31 Mar 2021, E.
Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Note — This taxon is a generic hybrid between Chris-
tella dentata × Pneumatopteris afra. Both parents occur
in Rwanda.
+Christella burundensis Pic. Serm.
New record — R: W P: Nyungwe
NP, Cyamudongo Forest, forest floor in montane forest,
02°33'21.65''S, 28°59'09.12''E, 1889 m, 5 Jan 2019, E.
Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Endemic status — Albertine Rift endemic.
Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 3) as
Dryopteris mollis (SW.) Hieron.
Christella gueintziana (Mett.) Holttum
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 280).
+Christella hispidula (Decn.) Holttum
New record — R: W P: Nyungwe
NP, Cyamudongo Forest, terrestrial in montane rainfor-
est, 02°32'29.33''S, 28°59'06.56''E, 2003 m, 2 Apr 2021,
E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Christella parasitica (L.) Lév.
First recorded — Kornaś & Nowak (1991: 11).
Cyclosorus interruptus (Willd.) H. Ito
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 3) as
Dryopteris (Cyclosorus) striata (Schumach.) C. Chr.
Note — Verdcourt (2006) found it impossible to distin-
guish between three species [Cyclosorus interruptus,
C. striatus (Schumach.) Ching, C. tottus (Thunb.) Pic.
Serm.] that share the same ecology. We follow his opin-
ion.
Leptogramma totta (Schltdl.) J. Sm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 284) as Lepto-
gramma pozoi non (Lag.) K. Iwatsuki.
Note — We follow Kuo & al. (2019), who separated this
species from Leptogramma pozoi.
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167Willdenowia 53 – 2024
+Menisorus pauciflorus (Hook.) Alston
New record — R: W P: Nyungwe
NP, Gisakura, terrestrial fern, on deeply shaded rocks along
streams in rainforest, 02°27'09.67''S, 29°07'04.06''E,
1835 m, 3 Apr 2021, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL); Nyungwe
NP, Cyamudongo Forest, 02°33'14.63''S, 28°59'03.28''E,
1870 m, 4 Apr 2021, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Metathelypteris vandervekenii Pic. Serm.
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 272).
Endemic status — Local endemic.
+Pneumatopteris afra (Christ) Holttum
New record — R: W P: Nyung-
we NP, Cyamudongo Forest, terrestrial in montane forest
along streams, 02°33'14.63''S, 28°59'03.28''E, 1870 m,
20 Mar 2021, E. Fischer s.n. (KOBL).
Pneumatopteris unita (Kunze) Holttum
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 283).
Pseudocyclosorus pulcher (Bory ex Willd.) Holttum
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 277).
Thelypteris confluens (Thunb.) Morton
First recorded — Pichi Sermolli (1983: 275).
Records not assigned to a species
Dryopteris (Lastrea) obtusiloba (Desv.) C. Chr.
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 31).
Note — Mildbraed collected this taxon in “Rugege-
Wald” with his number 759. Unfortunately, we have not
been able to trace material with this number in B. There-
fore the identity remains unclear.
Vittaria (Taeniopsis) isoetifolia Bory
First recorded — Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 31).
Note — Mildbraed collected this taxon in “Rugege-
Wald” with his number 921. Unfortunately, the speci-
men is sterile, so it cannot be determined exactly. As the
leaves are very small, it does not belong to Haplopteris
guineesis, but whether it is identical with H. reekmansii
(see above) cannot be stated with certainty. V. isoetifolia
is known from eastern and southern Africa and therefore
could occur also in Rwanda.
Excluded species
Asplenium goetzei Hieron. (1900: 343)
See discussion in Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 57) in “Ex-
cluded species”.
Table 3. Collectors and authors and their contributions to clubmosses, quillworts and ferns of Rwanda (species number and new
species).
Collector/author Number of
collected
species
New species
Bizzarri M. P. 1 Selaginella lewalleana Bizzarri (1981: 222)
Fischer Eb. 39 Asplenium markusbeckeri Eb. Fisch. & Lobin (Fischer & Lobin 2023a), A. ramicola
Eb. Fisch. & Lobin (Fischer & Lobin 2023a), A. uschiae Eb. Fisch. & Lobin (Fischer &
Lobin 2023a), Diplazium cyamudongense Eb. Fisch. & Lobin (Fischer & Lobin 2023b),
Dryopteris schizopaleata Eb. Fisch. & Lobin (Fischer & Lobin 2023c: 138), Isoetes
rwandensis Eb. Fisch. & Lobin (Fischer & Lobin 2022: 322)
Mildbraed J. 47 Asplenium bugoiense Hieron. (Brause & Hieronymus 1910: 10), A. mildbraedii Hieron.
(Brause & Hieronymus 1910: 21), A. rukararense Hieron. (Brause & Hieronymus 1910:
12), Cyathea engleri Brause (Brause 1910: 1) [= C. manniana Hooker (1865: 21)],
Lycopodium mildbraedii Herter (1910: 90) [= Phlegmariurus mildbraedii (Herter) A. R.
Field & Bostock (2013: 43)]
Nowak K. A. 8 No new species, records published by Kornaś & Nowak (1991)
Pichi Sermolli R. E. G.
published many records
from dierent collectors
111 Blotiella bouxiniana Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli 1983: 262), Elaphoglossum rwandense
Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli 1985: 184), Huperzia bampsiana Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli
1985: 193) [= Phlegmariurus bampsianus (Pic. Serm.) A. R. Field & Bostock (2013:
36)], Macrothelypteris rammelooi Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli 1983: 270), Metathelypteris
vandervekenii Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli 1983: 272), Pleopeltis bampsii Pic. Serm.
(Pichi Sermolli 1983: 200) [= Lepisorus excavatus (Bory ex Willd.) Ching (1933: 68)],
Pteris auquieri Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli 1983: 219), P. microlepis Pic. Serm. (Pichi
Sermolli 1983: 227), Vandenboschia inopinata Pic. Serm. (Pichi Sermolli 1983: 262) [=
Crepidomanes inopinatum (Pic. Serm.) J. P. Roux (2001: 45)]
Roux J. P.
mentioned new records
in his monograph on
Dryopteris
4 No new species for Rwanda, records published by Roux (2012)
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168 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Asplenium kassneri Hieron. (1911: 376).
See discussion in Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 57) in “Ex-
cluded species”.
Asplenium lademannianum Rosenstock
See discussion in Fischer & Lobin (2023c: 58) in “Ex-
cluded species”.
Trichomanes crispiforme Alston
Note — This taxon was described from São Tome and
represents a West African element. It is only known from
Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroun, São Tome, Congo (Brazza-
ville), and D. R. Congo. The locality that is closest to
the border of Rwanda is Irangi N of Kahuzi-Biéga Na-
tional Park (Kornaś 1994). Roux (2009: 48) listed Rwan-
da among the recorded countries without mentioning a
source. This record is considered here as erroneous.
Taxonomic treatment
Hieronymus in Brause & Hieronymus (1910) separated
Mildbraed’s plants into three dierent taxa: Lepicystis
lanceolata (= Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. macrocarpa),
L. lanceolata var. pinnatiloba Hieron. nom. nud., and L.
lanceolata var. dichotoma Hieron nom. nud. All material
cited by him is deposited in B and has been examined
by us. Unfortunately, Hieronymus in Brause & Hierony-
mus (1910) gave no descriptions and therefore published
nomina nuda, but as he placed his name behind the varie-
ties, he certainly regarded them as new to science. We
therefore decided to validate them (see below).
In his treatment of Polypodiaceae for the Flora of
Tropical East Africa, Verdcourt (2001: 28) assigns a
“mutation” to some collections from Uganda and Kenya,
citing Schelpe & Anthony (1986) who discussed these
forms. In South Africa, Pleopeltis ×simiana (Schelpe &
N. C. Anthony) N. R. Crouch & Klopper is considered
to be a natural hybrid between P. macrocarpa and P.
polypodioides subsp. ecklonii (Kunze) J. P. Roux. This
hybrid looks quite similar to the East African plants and
to our material from Rwanda. Verdcourt (2001) already
points out that these specimens occur far from the natu-
ral range of P. polypodioides subsp. ecklonii (SE Tanza-
nia, Mozambique, Malawi, S Africa) and the plants from
Rwanda have, as do the three examined specimens in
Flora of Tropical East Africa, normal rather than abor-
tive spores (Verdcourt 2001). Therefore, we propose, that
these specimens merit recognition as separate taxa.
Similar forms with pinnatilobed fronds have been re-
cently described as new species from eastern D. R. Con-
go. Loxogramme ntahobavakiana Mangambu Mokoso
& van Diggelen (2017: 64) diers from L. abyssinica
mainly in the pinnatilobed leaves. Lepisorus robbrech-
tianus Mangambu Mokoso & van Diggelen (2017: 65)
is separated from L. schraderi mainly by the presence
of long and dichotomously lobed leaves. However, we
prefer to keep the material from Pleopeltis macrocarpa
forms from eastern D. R. Congo and Rwanda in the rank
of varieties.
Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. dichotoma Hieron. ex Eb.
Fisch. & Lobin, var. nov. – Fig. 3.
Holotype: D. R. Congo, Ninagongo (= Nyiragon-
go), 2000–2500 m, 3 Oct 1907, J. Mildbraed 1316a
(B 20 0025283 [https://herbarium.bgbm.org/object
/B200025283]).
– Lepicystis lanceolata var. dichotoma Hieron., nom
nud. in Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 33).
Diagnosis — The new variety diers from typical P.
macrocarpa var. macrocarpa in the lamina dichotomous-
ly divided at the top, bifurcate, with each lobe also being
bifurcate.
Distribution — Known only from the Virunga Volcanoes
in D. R. Congo and Rwanda.
Habitat — Epiphyte in montane forest, 2000–2900 m.
Additional specimens seen (paratypes) — D. R. C:
Ninagongo (= Nyiragongo), Acanthus-Busch und un-
terer Waldgürtel, 2000–2500 m, 3 Oct 1907, J. Mild-
braed 1316, junge Pflanze [young plant on lower right
of the sheet], together with L. lanceolata var. pinnati-
loba Hieron. [upper left of the sheet] (B 20 0025281);
Kihawe (P. Karisimbi), 2400 m, 7 Mar 1935, De Witte
2295 (BR0000019902777) (together with var. pinnati-
loba). — R: Volcano National Park, Mt Gahinga,
on bamboo, 2900 m, 20 Mar 2022, E. Fischer, P. Ballings
& B. Wursten s.n. (KOBL).
Pleopeltis macrocarpa var. pinnatiloba Hieron. ex Eb.
Fisch. & Lobin, var. nov. – Fig. 4.
Holotype: Rwanda, Station Kissenye (= Gisenyi, Ruba-
vu), Bugoie (= Gishwati forest), 2300 m, 1 Nov 1907,
J. Mildbraed 1446 (B 20 0025282 [https://herbarium
.bgbm.org/object/B200025282]).
– Lepicystis lanceolata var. pinnatilobata Hieron. nom
nud. in Brause & Hieronymus (1910: 33).
Diagnosis — The new variety diers from typical Ple-
opeltis macrocarpa (Willd.) Kaulf. var. macrocarpa in
the pinnatilobed fronds with long and narrow pinnae.
From the hybrid P. ×simiana (Schelpe & N. C. Antho-
ny) N. R. Crouch & Klopper, with which it shares the
pinnatilobed fronds, it is distinguished by fertile spores,
while the latter only has abortive spores. Finally, one
parent from the hybrid, P. polypodioides subsp. ecklonii
(Kunze) J. P. Roux, does not occur in Rwanda.
Distribution — D. R. Congo (Virunga Volcanoes, Ruwen-
zori), Rwanda (Virunga Volcanoes, Gishwati) and Uganda
(Muhabura); also reported from Kenya (not seen).
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169Willdenowia 53 – 2024
Habitat — In Rwanda, the new variety occurs in almost
pure populations, not in mixed stands together with the
typical variety. They have been observed in the montane
forest belt up to the bamboo belt of the Virunga Volca-
noes between 2500–3027 m.
Note — Plants of both varieties are in cultivation in the
Bonn University Botanical Gardens: Pleopeltis mac-
rocarpa var. dichotoma (BG Bonn No. 47370) and P.
macrocarpa var. pinnatiloba (BG Bonn No. 47369). In
cultivation both taxa kept their typical leaf form (pinna-
tilobed and dichotomously branched respectively) (Fig.
3, 4) even in the newly produced leaves. This is a strong
argument for a genetic fixation and against an ecoform
induced by the habitat conditions.
Additional specimens seen (paratypes) — D. R. C:
Ninagongo (= Nyiragongo), Acanthus-Busch und unter-
er Waldgürtel, 2000–2500 m, 3 Oct 1907, J. Mildbraed
1316, [upper left of the sheet, together with P. macrocar-
pa var. dichotoma] (B200025281); Kihawe (Karisimbi),
2400 m, 7 Mar 1935, De Witte 2295 (BR0000019902777)
(together with P. macrocarpa var. dichotoma); Parque
National Albert, volcan Karisimbi, flanc E, 2600 m,
21 Aug 1937, J. Louis 5441 (BR0000019902821);
Nyamlagira, 2000 m, 22 Dec 1944, R. Germain 3138
(BR0000019902784); Ninagongo, 2200 m, H. Hum-
bert 7934 (BR0000019902791); entre Kimbundo et le
premier crète de Mikeno, 2175 m, Aug 1937, J. Lebrun
718; Kivu, Lusengi, 1500 m, May 1958, Antun-Gupert
173 (BR0000019902722); Ruwenzori, Lanuri, 2000
m, 15 Apr 1914, Bequaert 4244 (BR0000019902739).
— R: N P: Volcano Nation-
al Park, Sabinyo, epiphyte in montane forest, 2577 m,
01°24'37.13''S, 29°36'13.51''E, 4 Jan 2017, E. Fischer s.n.
(KOBL); Gahinga, epiphyte in montane forest, 3027 m,
01°23'23.72''S, 29°39'27.84''E, 23 Sep 2006, E. Fischer
s.n. (KOBL); Mt Gahinga, on bamboo, 2900 m, 20 Mar
2022, E. Fischer, P. Ballings & B. Wursten s.n. (KOBL).
Author contributions
Both authors contributed equally to the manuscript.
Fieldwork was carried out by Eberhard Fischer.
Acknowledgements
This checklist is the culmination of Eberhard Fischer’s
long-standing research on the ferns and lycophytes of
Rwanda. Many people and institutions supported this
research in many dierent ways since 1984. We thank
the directors and curators of the following herbaria for
their kindness in allowing us access to their collections:
B, BM, BR, FR, FI, K, P. Special thanks go to Dr Brigitte
Zimmer, Dr Robert Vogt, Dr Juraj Paule and the sta in
B, who helped us during our visits in many ways. The
Herbarium in Berlin houses an extraordinary number
of types of ferns from this part of Africa. We were also
given unrestricted access to the Herbarium at Meise,
which made it very easy to use the large and important
fern-collection at many dierent times. We would like to
thank Petra Ballings (BR) in particular for her invaluable
help in so many ways. We are grateful to Dr Chiara Nepi
and Dr Lia Pignotti (FI) for their responsive and valu-
able help, mainly with important collections from Ro-
dolfo Emilio Guiseppe Pichi Sermolli. Special thanks go
to Maximilian Weigend, Nees Institute for Biodiversity
of Plants, University of Bonn for permission to use the
Scanning Electron Microscope, and to Yaron Malkowsky
for invaluable support during the photo sessions. We are
indebted to an anonymous reviewer for valuable sugges-
tions and corrections. And last, but not least, we are most
grateful to Katie Price for correcting and improving the
English in several of our texts.
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172 Fischer & Lobin: Checklist of Lycopodiopsida and Polypodiopsida of Rwanda
Willdenowia
Open-access online edition bioone.org/journals/willdenowia
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Supplemental content online
See https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.53.53302
Supplementary table S1. Endemic and near-endemic
clubmosses, quillworts and ferns of continental African
countries (including Cape Verde and islands of Gulf of
Guinea).
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