Monographs Details:
Authority:

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

Dryopteridaceae
Description:

Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping, to ca. 8 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear, concolorous bright orange, lax, 15–30 mm, entire or rarely with irregular teeth; fronds approximate, to 200 x 4 cm, usually pendent; phyllopodia absent; stipes essentially absent (0–2 cm); blades linear-elliptic, apices acuminate, bases narrowly cuneate, coriaceous; veins obscure, free, simple or once-forked, ca. 1 mm apart, running at ca. 70ºto costa; hydathodes absent; adaxial surfaces essentially glabrous; abaxial surfaces sparsely clothed with minute, dissected, orange scales, to nearly glabrous; fertile fronds rare, lanceolate, 10–25 cm, only 1/5–1/3 the sterile frond length, glabrous, stipes 1/5–1/4 the frond length; 2n=216 (Trin).

Discussion:

Acrostichum herminieri Bory ex Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 2: 43, pl. 11. 1845. Lectotype (chosen here). Guadeloupe, L’Herminier s.n. (P!; isolectotypes GH, RB).

Elaphoglossum herminieri probably has the longest fronds of any Elaphoglossum, reaching 2 m in length. It is one of the few species found at low elevations. The bluish green cast to the leathery fronds and the long, slender, orange rhizome scales are distinctive.

Distribution:

Mexico North America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| West Indies| Panama Central America| Costa Rica South America| Nicaragua Central America| Honduras Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America|