Grammitis liogieri Proctor

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Grammitis liogieri Proctor

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - G. asplenifolio staturis et latitudinis minoribus, paleis rhizomatis minoribus, pilis stipitis laminaeque brevioribus, venis fertilibus non furcatis, sporangiis parvioribus differt.

    Species Description - Rhizome short, ascending, at apex bearing numerous lustrous, orange-brown or brown, narrowly deltate or lance-ligulate scales 1-1.5 mm long, with cell structure and hairs similar to those of G. asplenifolia. Fronds mostly 15-30 cm long, long-stipitate; stipes 3.5-12 cm long, usually decurved or somewhat geniculate near the apex, densely pilose with spreading pale hairs mostly 1-1.5 mm long (few longer). Blades drooping or pendent, linear-lanceolate, up to 23 cm long, 1.5-2.2 cm broad above the base, deeply pinnatisect, gradually narrowed to a blunt or acutish apex, subtmncate at base; rhachis black, bearing scattered long reddish setae on both sides; similar hairs along margins, few along costae, but absent from tissue surface; segments mostly 20-50 pairs, altemate, close, narrowly deltate-oblong, the largest ones 5-6 mm wide at the slightly dilated base; costae evident, flexuous, the straight simple veins ending in minute hydathodes ca. 0.5 mm from the margins. Sori round, up to five pairs per segment, dorsal on veins and about one-third to one-half the distance between costa and margin; sporangia copiously setulose when young, the setulae gradually deciduous. The sporangia of G. liogieri are less than half the size of those of G. asplenifolia, in this respect resembling those of G. hanekeana (see next species).

  • Discussion

    Type. Puerto Rico. Cordillera Central, Municipio de Adjuntas, Barrio Portugues, moist mossy forest on ridge ca. 0.9 km due SW of Alto de la Bandera, 900-950 m, 6 Sep 1986, Proctor 42135 (holotype US).

    Named for Dr. Alain H. Liogier, widely experienced student ofthe Cuban, Hispaniolan, and Puerto Rican floras, at the present time in charge of the herbarium of the Jardin Botanico, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Endemic to Puerto Rico.

    Puerto Rico South America|