Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.
Dryopteridaceae
Species Description - Rhizomes short-to moderately creeping, 1–2 mm diam.; rhizome scales dense to sparse, ovate, orange or tan with varying degrees of dark, shiny, sclerotic streaking, ca. 3 mm long, deeply cordate, appearing nearly peltate, entire or with occasional small, irregular teeth; fronds 1–8 mm apart, 6–23 x 0.6–1 cm; phyllopodia distinct; stipes 1/4–2/3 the frond length, glabrous or with tan, ovate scales; blades linear-elliptic, chartaceous, bases attenuate, apices acuminate; veins obscure, free, simple or onceforked, ca. 1 mm apart, at 60–70º angle to costa; hydathodes absent; blade scales sparse, reduced to minute stellate trichomidia or dots on abaxial surfaces, rare adaxially; fertile fronds similar to the sterile in blade size and shape, scales absent on abaxial surfaces.
Acrostichum tenuifolium Liebm., Mexic. Bregn. 163 (reprint 11). 1849. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Cerro Zempoalte´petl, Liebmann s.n. [Pl. Mex. 2654] (C!; isotype US!).
Although the general habit and the dark streaking of the rhizome scales are similar to those of Elaphoglossum affine and E. alansmithii, E. tenuifolium can be distinguished by its narrow blade and generally shorter rhizome length. See comments under those species. Mickel (in Davidse et al., 1995) included E. tenuifolium in E. minutum (Fe´e) T. Moore, but the latter is a larger plant (fronds 6–38 cm long) and its the rhizomes are short-creeping to compact with the fertile fronds slightly to far exceeding the sterile in length. It occurs from Costa Rica to Bolivia, Brazil, Jamaica, and Hispaniola.
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