Cyclopeltis

• Authority

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

• Family

  Lomariopsidaceae

• Scientific Name

  Cyclopeltis

• Description

  Genus Description - Terrestrial; rhizome woody, short-creeping, scaly; fronds medium-sized, erect, monomorphic, not articulate; stipe and rachis deciduously scaly; blade once-pinnate, reduced at base; pinnae many, subconform (hastate) terminal pinna, articulate, deciduous, entire, glabrous, costae rounded adaxially; veins free (to casually anastomosing); sori round, in 1-4 rows on each side of costa, indusia round, peltate, deciduous; spores bilateral, with perispore.

• Discussion

  Type: Cyclopeltis semicordata (Swartz) J. Smith [=Polypodium semicordatum Swartz]. Cyclopeltis is a genus of six species, five of Southeast Asia, only one (widespread) in lowland wet forests of the New World tropics. Precise relationships of the genus are not entirely clear, but seem to be aspidioid. It is sometimes placed in its own family (Ching, 1940). Reference: Ching, R. C. 1940. On natural classification of the family “Polypodiaceae.” Sunyatsenia 5: 201-268.