Tectaria

• Authority

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

• Family

  Tectariaceae

• Scientific Name

  Tectaria

• Description

  Genus Description - Terrestrial or epipetric; rhizome mostly woody, stout, short, compact, short-creeping to erect, with scales; fronds small to large, monomorphic, clumped; blade simple to mostly pinnatifid or pinnate or more compound, membranaceous to chartaceous, axes adaxially hairy with short ctenitoid hairs; veins much netted, often with included veinlets; sori abaxial, round (to oblong), indusium peltate or reniform; spores bilateral, perispore cristate.

• Discussion

  Type: Tectaria trifoliata (Linnaeus) Cavanilles [=Polypodium trifoliatum Linnaeus]. Aspidium Swartz, J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 4, 29. 1801. Lectotype (first chosen by J. Smith?, Hist. fil. 200. 1875): Aspidium trifoliatum (Linnaeus) Swartz. For additional synonyms, see Copeland (1947). Tectaria is a large pantropical genus (ca. 200 species), mostly developed in Southeast Asia and adjacent Pacific islands; there are 25-30 species in America, mostly of South America, with ca. eight in Mexico, two are very widespread. They generally occur on limestone at low elevations. See Dictyoxiphium for discussion of hybridization with Tectaria to produce the abortive-spored hybrid genus x Pleuroderris. Tectaria is distinct in its finely netted veins and round abaxial sori. Reference: Morton, C. V. 1966. The Mexican species of Tectaria. Amer. Fern J. 56: 120-137.