Naturalized

Latin parasiticus, parasite; derivation is obscure.

Plants medium-sized. Rhizomes short-creeping, around 0.7 cm diam. Fronds 30-90 cm long. Stipes mostly straw-colored, cov-ered with white hairs. Blades 1-pinnate-pinnatifid, elongate-deltate, medium to light green, usually dull; rachises green, covered with short, fine, white hairs, 16-24 pinna pairs before pinnatifid tips. Pinnae linear-lanceolate, 12-15 cm long, deeply lobed, basal pinna pairs not or barely reduced, sinuses wide, cut 1/2-2/3 to costae, hairs conspicuous, 0.4-0.6 mm long, occasional hairs longer, more on abaxial surface, tips acuminate, stalked red glands present, espe-cially near abaxial veins. Veins pinnate with 6-8 branches, basal veins anastomosing once before forming excurrent veins to sinuses. Sori medial. Indusia present.

Very common in disturbed areas and along trails, 5-1,160 m, all major islands.

Distributed from Southeast Asia to Japan, Malesia, New Caledonia, Queensland, and throughout the Pacific. Christella parasitica was first collected in 1926 and is now probably more common in the wild than C. denlata, with which it often shares habitat and with which it hybridizes. (See discussion under Hybrids later in this genus treatment.)

Christella parasitica may be distinguished from C. dentata by having lower pinnae that are the same size or_ only slightly smaller than those above, usually green (not purple) stipes and rachises, lighter green and duller fronds, longer hairs, presence of glands, and wider sinuses.