Wedelia trilobata (L Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 13(1): 69-71, 2006 (June) - Short communication MACROTHELYPTERIS TORRESIANA (GUAD.) CHING (THELYPTERIDACEAE) - A NEW RECORD FOR BANGLADESH MOMTAZ MAHAL MIRZA Bangladesh National Herbarium, Chiriakhana Road, Mirpur-1, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh Key word : Macrothelypteris torresiana, New record, Bangladesh While consulting the herbarium sheets of Bangladesh National herbarium an intersting member of the genus Macrothelypteris under the family Thelypteridaceae was found. Fraser-Jenkins, an expert of Pteridophytic flora of South Asian region and Himalayan ferns during his visit to the Bangladesh National Herbarium identified the specimen as Macrothelypteris torresiana (Guad.) Ching. It was further reconfirmed with the help of Holttum (1954, 1982), and Dixit (1954). This species was not reported before from Bangladesh in the relevent literature of this region, viz., Prain (1903), Sinclair (1956), and Mirza and Rahman (1997). Therefore, it is recorded here for the first time from Bangladesh. Macrothelypteris is widely distributed in the Mascarene Islands; warmer parts of mainland Asia and Japan, Malaysia, Queensland, Polynesia, Hawaii, in open or slightly shaded places in the areas of dry season. M. torresiana grows in open grassy place or light shade, not in full shade at the edge of the forest or in the fallow land. It is quite common in the forest and hilly areas of Chittagong and Sylhet. A detailed taxonomic description and illustration of the plant has been prepared, based on the collected specimens, which are now preserved at the Bangladesh National Herbarium (DACB). 1. Macrothelypteris torresiana (Guad.) Ching, Acta Phytotax. Sinica 8: 310. (1963). Polystichum torresianum Guad., Freye. Voy. Uran. Physic. Bot.: 333 (1828). (Plate 1) Rhizome stout, short creeping. Stipe to 50 cm. long, glaucous when young, persistent base swollen and fleshy, covered with many narrow dark brown scales bearing both acicular and capitate hairs, rest of the rachis smooth. Fronds deeply tripinnatifid, shiny yellowish green. Lamina to about 70 x 50 cm. alternate to the stipe. Pinnae 12-15 pairs, alternate to the rachis, sub-basal are largest. The largest pinnae 20 x 9 cm. deltoid, pinnae with all pinnules are alternate, but lowest adnate to a narrowly green-winged pinna rachis; pinnules oblique to pinna-rachis, largest 5-8 x 1.5-2.5 cm. acuminate, cut almost to costa in to oblique deeply lobbed segments, or sharply toothed segments 2.5- 4 mm. wide. The anterior basal (largest) segments 1-2 cm. long and 2-2.5 mm. wide. Costae and 70 MIRZA Plate 1. Macrothelypteris torresiana (Guad.) Ching a. habit (× 0.25); b. a fertile part of pinnule showing venation and arrangements of the sori (× 4); c. dermal scale (× 8); d. dermal scale magnified portion (× 20); e. dermal hairs (× 5). MACROTHELYPTERIS TORRESIANA (GUAD.) CHING 71 costules beneath clothed with scattered pale stiff thin hairs, some multicellular and more than 1mm.long; lower surface bearing short erect unicellular capitate hairs. Veins in the segments to about 7 pairs, forked. Sori globose or round large. Specimen examined : Chittagong: Mirarsari to Fatik Chari. 26.11. 92. Rahman, Rezia and Momtaz R. 3845 (DACB); Chittagong University Campus, 13.7.2004, Momtaz Mahal Mirza Mm 427 (DACB). Sylhet: On the way to airport 8. 4. 88. Momtaz, Mahfuz, Hosneara and A.M. Huq Mm 24 (DACB). Ecology: The persistent fleshy bases of the stipe are remarkable; they may function as water storage organs, so the plant can resist in the dry season in open places. Distribution : India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, Australia, and Japan. References Dixit, R.D. 1984. A Census of the Indian Pteridophytes. Delhi, Botanical Survey of India, pp. 1-177. Holttum, R.E. 1954. A revised flora of Malaya. Ferns of Malaya 2. Singapore Govt. Printing Press. pp.1-653. Holttum, R.E. 1982. In Van Steenis, C.G.G.J. & Holttum, R.E. (eds.) Flora malesiana ser.ii, vol.1. Martinus Nihoff/ Dr. w. Junk publishers, London. pp. 348-352. Mirza, M. M. and Rahman M.M. 1997. An annotated check list of ferns and fern-allies of Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 4(2): 47- 69. Prain, D. 1903. Bengal Plants. 2. Indian Reprint.1981. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun. pp.1237-1270. Sinclair, J. 1956. Flora of Cox’s Bazar, East Pakistan. Bull. Bot. Soc. Bengal. 9 (2): 114-115. MACROTHELYPTERIS TORRESIANA (GUAD.) CHING (THELYPTERIDACEAE MOMTAZ MAHAL MIRZA Bangladesh National Herbarium, Chiriakhana Road, Mirpur-1, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh