# Microsorum thailandicum vs. M. steerei



## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

Whats the difference? I see the pictures of steerei may have forked ends on some fronds where as thailandicum are predominately (maybe always) single pointed... but not having both plants in front of me... I have no idea how they really differ.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Ibelieve these are the same plant. I haven't got my book with me at the moment but I will look them up when I get home. I'm not even sure that either name is valid.

Here's some info on the plant though.
http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Microsorum thailandicum pc.html


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

THats the thing Harry, I own the supposed M. thailandicum. I saw recently another member had a plant list with the M. steerei on it, which I would have put money on it being thailandicum. When I looked online, there are TONS of sites citing either plant, both by their respective, different, common names (not that that means much as we all know.) I was just wondering if this was indeed a case of one name was the old taxonomic name and people had been artificially seperating them out thinking they were two different things....? I had seen it happen before so I woudnt be shocked. They "steerei" tends to be referred to as the oils lick fern, while the "thailandicum" as the scarab or cobalt blue fern....


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Hi Sarah,

When the plant first made it into cultivation (over a decade ago) it was thought to be M. steerei. It was discovered that it was actually an un-named species and was named M. thailandicum in 2001 by Thaweesakdi Boonkerd & Hans P. Nooteboom in the journal Blumea (46-3)


I remember a bunch coming in locally in the 90's. Several of us kept this plant and even though it didn't grow very quickly we did well with it or so we thought. An old grower used the old fashion method of aged urine for fertilizer. You should have seen the growth and vigor on those plants! Not sure it's a good method for terrariums though! :shock: lol!


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

:shock: Nope, dont think Ill be doing that version of fertilization... :lol: So thanks for clarifying that Chuck. So what IS the way you tell them apart?


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

I have never seen a real M. steerei, so I couldn't tell you. 

But, I know they use things like venation, frond shape, scales, sporangia, sori and spores to classify ferns. But, like in other groups, I think there is a lot of disagreements.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I have a very good book on ferns if anyone is looking for a good one. It's 'Fern Growers Manual: Revised and Expanded Edition' 
http://www.amazon.com/Fern-Growers-Manual-Revised-Expanded/dp/0881924954


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

Looks like an interesting book Harry. I think what is even more interesting is that on amazon you can look at the index... and they name M. steerei in the back, not thailandicum.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

I think that's prob. because this plant in question entered the hobby in the 1990's and was identified as M. steerei a species that was named in 1933.

These plants which turned out to be M. thailandicum, were formally named in the later part of 2001. The book was originally published in 2001 and then reprinted in 2002. Easy enough for them to not catch the name change or more likely, the revised edition was already finished. Just my opinion


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

That would make sense... I didnt even think to look at the publish date


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

:lol: that's easy to overlook


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Manuran, I believe that is the case here. I'm sure this book as most plant books are not 100% correct and there are surely many species available that are not even in the book but it is a great reference.
Regardless of what it is called it's a pretty neat fern and looks like a mini version of Elaphoglossum metallicum.


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