Japanese name: ホシダ（穂羊歯） Scientific name:Thelypteris acuminata var. acuminata
[Overview]
An evergreen terrestrial fern commonly growing on mountains, fields and roadsides in warm regions, and often seen on rather dry slopes.
It often grows in colonies.
The rhizome creeps long, bears scales, and produces leaves here and there.
The leaves are broadly lanceolate, 40–60 cm long and 15–20 cm wide, 2-pinnately divided to about the middle; they are slightly glossy and stiff, and the terminal pinna extends long like a tail.
The incisions of the pinnae are shallow, and the lobes are triangular-oblong with spiny, pointed tips.
The sori are borne midway between the margin and the midrib or slightly closer to the margin, and the indusium is round-kidney-shaped and hairy.
The surface of the spores has wart-like projections.
The petiole is up to 40 cm long and straw-colored to pale brown; the hairs fall off early, and the base bears brown scales.
[Notes]
The Japanese name derives from the leaf tip being long and slender like the tip of a spear.
