Cheilanthes microphylla (Sw.) Sw.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cheilanthes microphylla (Sw.) Sw.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome short-creeping, branched, densely clothed with soft, recurved, narrowly linear, light reddish-brown scales. Fronds closely distichous, erect, 15-60 cm long; stipes nearly as long as the blades, wiry, blackish-brown, lightly clothed with deciduous hairlike scales. Blades narrowly deltate- lanceolate, 10-45 cm long, 3-12 cm broad above the base, 2- to 3-pinnate; rhachis similar to the stipe. Pinnae mostly altemate, spreading or curved-ascending, deltate-oblong, acuminate, the apex an enlarged acute or acutish, subentire segment; pinnules simple, lobate proximally, or else fully pinnate; ultimate divisions oval to auriculate-oblong, 3-7 mm long, mostly decunent, sparsely clothed with short, whitish, moniliform hairs, these persistent on the abaxial side. Sori interrupted to subcontinuous at first, becoming conffuent laterally at maturity; indusium formed by a reffexed, membranous extension ofthe margin.

    Distribution and Ecology - General Distribution. Southeastern United States, Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands, Greater and Lesser Antilles, Mexico and Central America; closely related forms occur in South America. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Widespread but sporadic; recorded from Coamo, Guanica, Isabela, Juana Diaz, Peiiuelas, Quebradillas, and Yauco; also Desecheo Island. Virgin Islands. St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. Habitat. Ledges, rocky banks, and wooded hillsides chieffy but not exclusively among limestone rocks at low to middle elevations (20-700 m), locally frequent.

  • Discussion

    Basionym. Adiantum microphyllum Swartz, Prodr. 135. 1788.

    Type. Swartz, from Jamaica without exact locality (S; isotypes B M , SBT).

    Syn. Cassebeera microphylla (Swartz) J. Smith, J. Bot. (Hooker) 4: 159. 1841.

    Allosorus microphyllus (Swartz) Liebmann, Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Naturvidensk. Math. Afti. ser. 5, 1: 219. 1849.

    Notholaena microphylla (Swartz) Keyserling, Polyp, herb, bunge. 28. 1873.