Pteris pungens Willd.
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Authority
Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.
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Family
Pteridaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Rhizomes erect, ca. 2–3 cm diam.; rhizome scales concolorous, golden brown; fronds to 1.4(–2) m long; stipes ca. 1/2–2/3 the frond length, weakly aculeate, glabrous, scaly, stramineous to black; blades 30–60 x 30–50 cm, pentagonal-oblong, pinnatepinnatifid with terminal pinnae conform, pinnatifid, basal pinnae with basal basiscopic pinnules elongate and deeply pinnatifid; pinnae 20–35 x 4–8 cm, axils aculeolate, tips abruptly caudate; segments linear-oblong, slightly oblique, straight or subfalcate, those at bases of pinnae evenly reduced (sometimes obsolete on basiscopic side), margins serrate near apices, glabrous adaxially, with sparse hairs 0.1 mm long abaxially; pinna awns 0.8–1 mm long; veins free, 1–2 basal ones arising from costae; indusia 0.3–0.5 mm wide, entire; sporangia with paraphyses; spores reddish brown.
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Discussion
Lectotype (chosen by Proctor, Fl. L. Antill. 2: 144. 1977). Plumier, Traite´ Foug. Ame´r., pl. 14, 1705, illustrating a plant from Haiti, along La Grande Rivie`re, near Leogane.
Pteris pungens closely resembles P. quadriaurita in blade form but is distinguished by the concolorous rhizome scales, the caudate pinna apices, basal veins sometimes arising from the pinna costae, and decurrent terminal pinnae. A specimen from Chiapas (Breedlove 22661, NY) has malformed spores and is intermediate between Pteris pungens and P. paucinervata. It has the general blade dissection, paraphyses, and narrow indusia of Pteris pungens, and the asymmetric sinuses and short caudate pinnae of P. paucinervata. Some veins end before the margins, whereas others run to the margins.