Woodsia

• Authority

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

• Family

  Woodsiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Woodsia

• Description

  Genus Description - Terrestrial or epipetric; rhizome short, compact, horizontal to ascending, with scales; fronds generally small, clumped, monomorphic; stipe stramineous to dark, sometimes articulate at uniform point on the stipe, usually with a few scales; blade pinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid, membranous to subcoriaceous; veins free; surface hairy, scaly or glandular, or glabrous; sori abaxial, round; indusium basal, surrounding the young sorus, with scalelike or hairlike lobes; spores bilateral with bumpy or netted pattern on perispore.

• Discussion

  Type: Woodsia ilvensis (Linnaeus) R. Brown [=Acrostichum ilvense Linnaeus]. Woodsia is a widely distributed, mostly temperate genus of about 22 species, mostly of North America and Asia. Ours is widespread in Mexico and Central America. The genus is distinct by its relatively small frond size and the cup-shaped or deeply lobed indusium surrounding the sporangia. Reference: Brown, D. F. M. 1964. A monographic study of the fern genus Woodsia. Beih. Nova Hedwigia 16: 1-154.