Asplenium blepharodes D.C. Eaton

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Aspleniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Asplenium blepharodes D.C. Eaton

  • Description

    Species Description - Roots thin, fibrous, not proliferous; rhizomes short-creeping to suberect; rhizome scales black, lumina occluded at maturity, 2–3 x 0.2–0.3 mm, entire; fronds clumped, 12–35 cm long; stipes dark reddish brown, lustrous, mostly 2–6 cm x 0.6–1.5 mm, 1/5– 1/4 of frond length, often curved at bases, glabrous, not winged; blades chartaceous, 1-pinnate, buds absent, blades not rooting at tips; rachises dark red-brown, lustrous, abaxially with scattered minute appressed hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long, adaxially with tan wings to 0.2 mm wide; pinnae (10–)15–25 pairs, mostly opposite or subopposite, mostly 1–1.6 x 0.4–0.7 cm, sessile, proximal ones deflexed, mostly somewhat auriculate at the acroscopic bases, apices oblong, obtuse, finely serrate or biserrate on both sides and tips with rounded teeth, articulate with age; veins faintly visible in young fronds, 1-forked, tips evident adaxially; indument with scattered appressed tan hairs 0.1–0.2 mm abaxially; sori 6–9 per pinna, on both sides of midveins; indusia whitish, 2–3 x 0.5–0.8 mm, margins fringed with slender, whitish jointed hairs 0.2–1 mm long; spores reniform.

  • Discussion

    Type. Mexico. Baja California Sur: Sierra de Laguna, 22 Jan 1889, T. S. Brandegee s.n. (YU!).

    This differs from congeners in Mexico, and especially from its nearest ally, A. fibrillosum, in having rachises scantily pubes cent (vs. distinctly fibrillose), forked veins (vs. simple), and indusia delicately ciliate (vs. deeply laciniate).