Table 1. Major characters delineating Actinostachys minuta from A. wagneri, A. spirophylla and A in Actinostachys minuta, a new species of grass fern from Mindanao, Philippines

Table 1. Major characters delineating Actinostachys minuta from A. wagneri, A. spirophylla and A. plana CharacterA. wagneri (Holttum 1955; Reed 1947)A. spirophylla (Holttum 1955; Reed 1947)A. plana (Reed 1947)A. minutaHabitatEpiphytic on stumps and bases of treesEpiphytic in moss-cushions on treesEpiphytic on tree fernsStrictly epiphytic on trunks of the tree fern Sphaeropteris polypodaStipeIndistinctIndistinctDistinct (5.5-7.5 long mm) flatDistinct (5-8 mm long) triangular in transectionLamina (sterile portion) length (cm)6-204-85.5-10.22.5-3.7Lamina (sterile portion) width (mm)0.5-0.7Ca. 1.51.4-1.740.8-1.0Number of stomatal rows on each side of costa11Not described1Sorophore length (mm)7-154-82.5-4.84-6Sorophore number2 to 51 to 33 to 6 but usually 41 to 4 but usually 1Sorophore lamina apexNot bifid, glabrousNot describedBifid or toothedBifid with profuse white long hairsSorophore lamina width (mm)Not describedNot described0.5-0.80.5-0.6 wideSporangiaBiseriate with brown hairsBiseriate (sometimes apparently tetraseriate) and glabrousBiseriateBiseriate and glabrousSpore surfaceStriateStriateSmoothSmoothDistributionNortheastern Australia, Indonesia (Borneo, Moluccas), Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Papua New Guinea, Singapore, ThailandIndonesia (Moluccas), Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Micronesia (Ponape)New Caledonia (Sommet du Mont Mi)Philippines (Mindanao)