Bolbitis

• Authority

  Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

• Family

  Dryopteridaceae

• Scientific Name

  Bolbitis

• Description

  Genus Description - Terrestrial or hemiepiphytic; rhizome creeping, scaly; fronds medium-sized, erect, dimorphic; stipe glabrous or sparsely scaly, not articulate to rhizome; blade simple to pinnate, less commonly to bipinnatifid, thin to subcoriaceous, glabrous; veins netted, with or without included veinlets; some species with proliferous buds; fertile fronds with longer stipes and slightly reduced laminae; sori acrostichoid, covering the entire lower blade surface; indusia and paraphyses lacking; spores bilateral, with distinct perispore.

• Discussion

  Lectotype (chosen by Christensen, Index filic, xxvi. 1906): Bolbitis serratifolia (Kaulfuss) Schott [=Acrostichum serratifolium Kaulfuss]. For other synonyms, see Hennipman (1977). There are about 45 species in the genus, 1/3 of which are of the New World. Seven species occur in Mexico (southern only). It is rare in wet lowland to middle elevation wet forests. Bolbitis is distinct in its finely netted veins, dimorphic fronds and acrostichoid sori. Reference: Hennipman, E. 1977. A monograph of the fern genus Bolbitis (Lomariopsidaceae). Leiden Univ. Press (Leiden Bot. Ser. 2): i-xii, 1-331.