Danaea kalevala

Danaea kalevala
Danaea kalevala (Marattiaceae) in Guadeloupe
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Marattiopsida
Order:	Marattiales
Family:	Marattiaceae
Genus:	Danaea
Species:	D. kalevala
Binomial name
Danaea kalevala Christenh.

Danaea kalevala is a species of fern belonging to the family Marattiaceae. The plants are large, up to 200 cm tall, have radially arranged creeping rhizomes to 15 cm thick and pinnate leaves. The pinna apices are finely denticulate. It is endemic to rainforests in the Lesser Antilles (Saint Kitts, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, Saint Vincent and Grenada).

In the wild the species is quite rare. On the type locality along Trace des Jésuites, in Martinique, only five plants were found in 2003. Even though the species is not uncommon in southern parts of Guadeloupe, from most other islands the plants are only known from old collections. The species is thus endangered. This species cannot be cultivated, because the requirements of Danaea ferns are unknown.

Danaea kalevala was named by Dutch botanist Maarten Christenhusz in honour of his host country Finland. The Kalevala is the Finnish heroic epic.

See also

• Ptisana purpurascens a related plant from Ascension Island.
• Ptisana salicina, from New Zealand.

References

• Christenhusz, M. J. M., 2006. Three new species of Danaea from French Guiana and the Lesser Antilles. Annales Botanici Fennici 43: 212-219.