Christella

Rajapaksha, Ranil, 2021, Six new combinations and one new natural hybrid of ferns from Sri Lanka, Phytotaxa 511 (2), pp. 183-186 : 185

7. Christella × fraser -jenkinsii Ranil hybr. nov.

Description:—Rhizome sub-erect to short-creeping; fronds decrescent with three to six pairs of progressively shorter pinnae basally; pinnae cut less than half way to costa, shortly hairy on costae and veins above and below, without acicular hairs but with abundant orange spherical glands beneath, two pairs of veins anastomosing between each pinnalobe; indusia glabrous or nearly so; spores abortive, irregular in size and shape, with a thick dark epispore, ± verrucose or shortly ridged.

Holotype:— SRI LANKA, Uva Province, Badulla District, Hangiliella, beyond Welimada on Badulla road from Nuwara Eliya , c. 900 m, 29 Dec. 1950, I. Manton 307 ( BM).

Etymology:—This hybrid is named after Mr. C.R. Fraser-Jenkins (Bridgend, Wales, UK; Kathmandu, Nepal and Cascais, Portugal, 1948-) in recognition of his detailed and comprehensive work on pteridophytes of the Indian subcontinent.

Hybrid parentage:— Christella meeboldii (Rosenst.) C.F.Reed x Christella parasitica (L.) H.Lév.

Distribution: Sri Lanka (endemic).

Note:—This hybrid was originally discovered and reported by Sledge (1981) under a hybrid-formula ( Christella meeboldii × parasitica ). Christella meeboldii is a critically endangered species and only known from two specimens collected 65 years ago, whereas C. parasitica is considered as a least concern species distributed across the central highland of Sri Lanka. Christella meeboldii is rather rare in Sri Lanka. Hence, hybridisation amongst these two species is not to thought occur more frequently. Christella × fraser -jenkinsii mostly shares characters of rhizome and frond of both parents. Sledge (1981) and Shaffer-Fehre (2006) have described characters of the parents and hybrid adequately. According to Sledge (1981), the mixed characters of this taxon seem only explicable on the assumption of the above parentage, and that non-dehiscence of the frond is not a dominant character in this hybrid combination.