I have been a member of BPS for many years. I recently had the privilege and pleasure of visiting Sri Lanka where I was very impressed by the great diversity of ferns and related species. Although there is a checklist available on line I have no literature on the fern flora. I have managed to identify a few species but have others for which I would be very grateful for help in identification if at all possible. This Asplenium species was photographed at Ritigala Nature Reserve, Sri Lanka on 2 March 2019. It reminds me of A.nidus-avis, but with fronds up to 2 metres long it is much larger than I have ever seen that species in cultivation. I would be very grateful if anyone could advise whether it is just that species or perhaps a related one.
Many thanks
Alan Outen
Having been to both Sri Lanka and Australia in the last three months, I am pretty certain that this is Asplenium australasicum. It is much bigger than A nidus and, on the ones I saw, the sori didn’t extend as close to the edge of the frond as they do on A nidus. So, that would be my bet.
Very many thanks Peter. Your expertise and help with this and others is greatly appreciated.
Alan