Trichomanes membranaceum L.

  • Authority

    Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.

  • Family

    Hymenophyllaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Trichomanes membranaceum L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants colonial, often forming dense mats with imbricate fronds; rhizome filiform, densely clothed with dark brown, hairlike rhizoids. Fronds distantly attached, subsessile, dark green, pellucid. Blades extremely variable in shape, roundish to cuneate-oblong, linear, or inegularly obovate, often coarsely cleft, the margin subentire to deeply lacerate-toothed; veins numerous, close, repeatedly forked, the tissue between containing slender, elongate, nonconnected false veins, these bearing at the marginal end opposing pairs of tiny roundish scales, these deciduous with age. Sori when present mostly apical; involucre immersed, narrowly cylindric, terminating in abruptly flaring free lips.

  • Discussion

    Type. LINN 1253.1, from "America" without exact locality. Linnaeus also cited Sloane and Plumier references pertaining to material from Jamaica and Hispaniola.

    Syn. Lecanium membranaceum (Linnaeus) K. Presl, Abh. Konigl. Bohm. Ges. Wiss. ser. 5, 3: 104, t. 1. 1843.

    Hemiphlebium membranaceum (Linnaeus) Prantl, Unters. Morph. Gefasskrypt. 1: 46. 1875.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Greater and Lesser A n tilles, Tobago, Trinidad, and continental tropical America from Mexico to Bolivia. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Scattered in mountainous areas, most common in the Siena de Luquillo. Recorded from Adjuntas, Naguabo, Patillas, and Rio Grande. Habitat. On wet shaded rocks or tree-trunks especially in mountain ravines at middle to high elevations (450-900 m), locally frequent.

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