Blechnum penna-marina (Poir.) Kuhn

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Blechnaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Blechnum penna-marina (Poir.) Kuhn

  • Description

    Species Description - Differs from B. stoloniferum by: fronds (both sterile and fertile) stiffly erect; blades subcoriaceous; sterile pinnae with costae grooved adaxially; fertile pinnae 30+ pairs, inequilateral and surcurrent at bases, arcuate, conduplicate, not apiculate at apices, of relatively uniform length from near blade bases to just short of blade apices.

  • Discussion

    Polypodium penna-marina Poir. in Lamarck, Encycl. 5: 520. 1804. Type. Straits of Magellan [Argentina? Chile?]. Commerson s.n. (P-Desf., photo GH).

    This startling discovery, reported for the first time here, is remarkable for the nearly 4000 mile disjunction between southern Peru and northwestern Mexico. Previously, the specimen from Chihuahua had been regarded by everyone as B. stoloniferum (Knobloch & Correll, 1962; Smith, 1981; Mickel & Beitel, 1988). However, the two Mexican collections cited above differ from that in characteristics mentioned in the diagnosis above. The illustration of B. stoloniferum in Knobloch and Correll (1962: 134) is an excellent depiction of B. penna-marina, showing the numerous, spreading non-apiculate, conduplicate fertile pinnae. The specimens we cite from Durango and from Guatemala are sterile, and so many of the diagnostic characters are not determinable; however, in features of the sterile blades, they appear to be B. penna-marina, not B. stoloniferum. One can only ponder the means by which the Mexican populations became established.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial on seepage slopes along streams, conifer forests, pine-oak forests; 2300–2600 m. Mexico; Guat (Beaman 4203, UC); Peru, se Braz, Bol, Chile, Arg.; circumsubantarctic islands; se Australia, New Zealand.

    Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Peru South America| Brazil South America| Chile South America| Bolivia South America| Argentina South America| Australia Oceania| New Zealand