Ctenitis submarginalis (Langsd. & Fisch.) Ching

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dryopteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ctenitis submarginalis (Langsd. & Fisch.) Ching

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes erect, stout, caudices to 3 cm diam.; fronds to ca. 100 cm long; stipes stramineous to tan, 1/4-2/5 the frond length, 20-30(-45) cm x 3-5 mm, scales at bases brown or orangebrown, linear, 10-20 x 0.5-1.5 mm; blades green, 1-pinnatepinnatifid, oblong-lanceolate, ca. 50-70 x 20-35 cm; rachises abaxially with twisted, flat scales 1-4 x 0.1-0.3 mm; pinnae to ca. 20-25 pairs, the proximal ones stalked to ca. 2(-6) mm, the distal ones sessile, mostly 10-18 x 1.5-2.5(-3) cm, linear-oblong, not basiscopically enlarged, incised 1-3 mmfrom costae; segments entire or minutely crenulate toward tips, often apiculate, margins ciliate with jointed hairs to 0.5 mm long; veins simple, 8-15 pairs per segment, reaching the margins above the sinuses or the lower most pair from adjacent segments running to the sinus; indument on costae abaxially of scattered, twisted, appressed, subentire or denticulate scales 1-4 x 0.1-0.3 mm and also minute, glandular hairs less than 0.1 mm long; laminae between veins abaxially with a few lax hair-like scales 0.1-0.3 mm long, also with appressed to spreading, yellowish, cylindrical or capitate glandular hairs less than 0.1 mm long; sori medial, exindusiate, or indusia very small, minutely ciliate, caducous or generally completely hidden by mature sporangia; 2n=82 (USA).

  • Discussion

    Polypodium submarginale Langsd. & Fisch., Pl. Voy. Russes Monde 1: 12, t. 13. 1810. Dryopteris submarginalis (Langsd. & Fisch.) C. Chr., Index Filic. 296. 1905. Type. Brazil. “Insula Catharinae,” s. coll. s.n. (LE).

    From other pinnate-pinnatifid species, C. submarginalis differs by the exindusiate sori or sori with very small, ephemeral indusia, reddish, flattened (vs. inrolled) costal scales, and pinnae incised 3/4 their width or more. All but one of the specimens cited by Smith (1981: 84) from Chiapas as this species are C. microchlaena, a close relative (which see). In Mexico, C. submarginalis is relatively common only in Veracruz; elsewhere it is rarely collected or seemingly absent.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in wet montane forests; 1000-1600 m. USA (Fla, La); Mexico; Guat, Hond, Nic, CR; Hisp; Col, Ven, Ec, Peru, Braz, Parag, n Arg, Uru.

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