Monographs Details:
Authority:
Moguel Velázquez, Ana L. & Kessler, Michael. 2013. Grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae). III.. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 113: 1--68. (Published by NYBG Press)
Moguel Velázquez, Ana L. & Kessler, Michael. 2013. Grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae). III.
Family:
Polypodiaceae
Polypodiaceae
Synonyms:
Polypodium senile Fée, Ctenopteris senilis (Fée) Copel., Grammitis senilis (Fée) C.V.Morton, Terpsichore senilis (Fée) A.R.Sm., Polypodium subflabelliforme Rosenst., Ctenopteris subflabelliformis (Rosenst.) Copel., Polypodium subflabelliforme var. minor Rosenst., Polypodium senile var. minor
Polypodium senile Fée, Ctenopteris senilis (Fée) Copel., Grammitis senilis (Fée) C.V.Morton, Terpsichore senilis (Fée) A.R.Sm., Polypodium subflabelliforme Rosenst., Ctenopteris subflabelliformis (Rosenst.) Copel., Polypodium subflabelliforme var. minor Rosenst., Polypodium senile var. minor
Description:
Species Description - Plants epiphytic; rhizomes 0.5-3.0 cm long, short-creeping to suberect, radially symmetric, setose and scaly, the setae simple, hyaline to yellow, up to 2 mm long, the scales lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, pale-orange to castaneous, concolorous, dull, 0.5-1.2 (-1.5) x 0.2-0.4 mm, setulate and sometimes also puberulent, the setae abundant on scale margins and frequently also on surfaces, hyaline to yellow, 0.1-0.3 mm long, sometimes also a few very long setae (2 mm) present on margins, the hairs moderate, turgid, 0.05-0.10 mm long on scale margins and branched, turgid, 0.1-0.2 mm long on apices; fronds 7-35(-50) x 0.7-0.8(-1.5) cm, caespitose, pendulous, with indeterminate growth; stipes 0.5-1.0 cm x 0.1-0.2 mm, dark brown, with simple, yellow to castaneous, 0.5-2.0 mm long setae and hyaline to yellow, simple or branched, 0.1-0.2 mm long hairs; blades linear, pinnatisect, thin-chartaceous, gradually tapering at both ends, with up to 5 reduced, ca. 1-2 x 1-2 mm, oval segment pairs at the bases, these in larger specimens widely separated (up to 8 mm); rachises sclerenchymatous, dark brown to black, moderately densely covered with hyaline to yellow, simple and abaxially also irregularly branched trichomes, growing parallel to the rachises, sometimes in contact with it, and with 2-8 branches that are perpendicular to the rachises, branches hair-like (thin-walled) or acicular and 0.5-2.0 mm long; pinnae perpendicular to slightly ascending and then ca. 70° oblique to the rachises, 0.3-0.4(-0.9) x 0.20-0.25 (-0.30) cm, circular to oval or on larger specimens ovate, ca. 2-4 times as long as wide, alternate, widely separated, small pinnae symmetric and larger asymmetric at the bases, incised acroscopically and adnate basiscopically, 1/2 to 1/3 of their width adnate to the rachises, apices obtuse to round, margins entire or in larger specimens shallowly sinuate, setose, the setae simple, bifurcate, or 3-branched, yellow to castaneous, 0.5-2.0 mm long; sinuses 1-6 mm wide; veins free, 1-furcate, the basal halves of the costae visible abaxially, dark brown, and obscure adaxially; blade surfaces adaxial and abaxial moderately densely setose, the setae simple, hyaline to yellow, 0.5-1.0(-2.0) mm long, the abaxial surfaces also puberulent like the stipes; hydathodes inconspicuous, lime dots lacking; sori round, arising at the vein apices, up to (4—)9 per pinna; receptacles not or sparsely setose; sporangia ciliate, the cilia ca. 0.2-1.0 mm long.
Species Description - Plants epiphytic; rhizomes 0.5-3.0 cm long, short-creeping to suberect, radially symmetric, setose and scaly, the setae simple, hyaline to yellow, up to 2 mm long, the scales lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, pale-orange to castaneous, concolorous, dull, 0.5-1.2 (-1.5) x 0.2-0.4 mm, setulate and sometimes also puberulent, the setae abundant on scale margins and frequently also on surfaces, hyaline to yellow, 0.1-0.3 mm long, sometimes also a few very long setae (2 mm) present on margins, the hairs moderate, turgid, 0.05-0.10 mm long on scale margins and branched, turgid, 0.1-0.2 mm long on apices; fronds 7-35(-50) x 0.7-0.8(-1.5) cm, caespitose, pendulous, with indeterminate growth; stipes 0.5-1.0 cm x 0.1-0.2 mm, dark brown, with simple, yellow to castaneous, 0.5-2.0 mm long setae and hyaline to yellow, simple or branched, 0.1-0.2 mm long hairs; blades linear, pinnatisect, thin-chartaceous, gradually tapering at both ends, with up to 5 reduced, ca. 1-2 x 1-2 mm, oval segment pairs at the bases, these in larger specimens widely separated (up to 8 mm); rachises sclerenchymatous, dark brown to black, moderately densely covered with hyaline to yellow, simple and abaxially also irregularly branched trichomes, growing parallel to the rachises, sometimes in contact with it, and with 2-8 branches that are perpendicular to the rachises, branches hair-like (thin-walled) or acicular and 0.5-2.0 mm long; pinnae perpendicular to slightly ascending and then ca. 70° oblique to the rachises, 0.3-0.4(-0.9) x 0.20-0.25 (-0.30) cm, circular to oval or on larger specimens ovate, ca. 2-4 times as long as wide, alternate, widely separated, small pinnae symmetric and larger asymmetric at the bases, incised acroscopically and adnate basiscopically, 1/2 to 1/3 of their width adnate to the rachises, apices obtuse to round, margins entire or in larger specimens shallowly sinuate, setose, the setae simple, bifurcate, or 3-branched, yellow to castaneous, 0.5-2.0 mm long; sinuses 1-6 mm wide; veins free, 1-furcate, the basal halves of the costae visible abaxially, dark brown, and obscure adaxially; blade surfaces adaxial and abaxial moderately densely setose, the setae simple, hyaline to yellow, 0.5-1.0(-2.0) mm long, the abaxial surfaces also puberulent like the stipes; hydathodes inconspicuous, lime dots lacking; sori round, arising at the vein apices, up to (4—)9 per pinna; receptacles not or sparsely setose; sporangia ciliate, the cilia ca. 0.2-1.0 mm long.
Discussion:
Alansmia senilis is closely related to A. cultrata, and their relationships are discussed under that species. Alansmia senilis also superficially resembles A. elastica, but that species lacks rhizome scales.Alansmia senilis is highly variable in the shape of the fronds and pinnae throughout its range (Fig. 24). In South America, the fronds are comparatively short and narrow (0.7-0.8 x 6-20 cm) with oval to circular pinnae. In Mesoamerica, the fronds are larger (up to 1.5 x 50 cm). In Costa Rica, the shape of the pinnae is oval to ovate. In Honduras and El Salvador, the pinnae are conspicuously circular, and the fronds are more slender than in Costa Rica (0.7-1.1 cm vs. 0.8-1.5 cm wide). In Colombian and Venezuelan plants, all these sizes are present. Although regional tendencies are apparent, there is a gradual overlap between the frond shapes and sizes. However, indument characters are constant.The specimens from Mexico and Guyana show unusual pinna sizes (0.4 x 1.0-1.8 mm) but have the blade morphology of A. senilis. Further studies are necessary to clarify the relationships of these specimens to A. cultrata.
Alansmia senilis is closely related to A. cultrata, and their relationships are discussed under that species. Alansmia senilis also superficially resembles A. elastica, but that species lacks rhizome scales.Alansmia senilis is highly variable in the shape of the fronds and pinnae throughout its range (Fig. 24). In South America, the fronds are comparatively short and narrow (0.7-0.8 x 6-20 cm) with oval to circular pinnae. In Mesoamerica, the fronds are larger (up to 1.5 x 50 cm). In Costa Rica, the shape of the pinnae is oval to ovate. In Honduras and El Salvador, the pinnae are conspicuously circular, and the fronds are more slender than in Costa Rica (0.7-1.1 cm vs. 0.8-1.5 cm wide). In Colombian and Venezuelan plants, all these sizes are present. Although regional tendencies are apparent, there is a gradual overlap between the frond shapes and sizes. However, indument characters are constant.The specimens from Mexico and Guyana show unusual pinna sizes (0.4 x 1.0-1.8 mm) but have the blade morphology of A. senilis. Further studies are necessary to clarify the relationships of these specimens to A. cultrata.
Distribution:
Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Guerrero Mexico North America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Chalatenango El Salvador Central America| Quezaltenango Guatemala Central America| Lempira Honduras Central America| Cochabamba Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Imbabura Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Pastaza Ecuador South America| Sucumbíos Ecuador South America| Tungurahua Ecuador South America| Cuyuni-Mazaruni Guyana South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| San Martín Peru South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Anzoátegui Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Portuguesa Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America| Trujillo Venezuela South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Córdoba Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| La Vega Dominican Republic South America| Independencia Dominican Republic South America| Vargas Venezuela South America|
Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Guerrero Mexico North America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Chalatenango El Salvador Central America| Quezaltenango Guatemala Central America| Lempira Honduras Central America| Cochabamba Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Imbabura Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Pastaza Ecuador South America| Sucumbíos Ecuador South America| Tungurahua Ecuador South America| Cuyuni-Mazaruni Guyana South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| San Martín Peru South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Anzoátegui Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Portuguesa Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America| Trujillo Venezuela South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Córdoba Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| La Vega Dominican Republic South America| Independencia Dominican Republic South America| Vargas Venezuela South America|