Monographs Details:
Authority:
Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.
Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.
Family:
Gleicheniaceae
Gleicheniaceae
Description:
Species Description - Rhizome long-creeping; rhizome scales castaneous, linear, ciliate, 2-3 mm long, 0.2-0.3 mm wide; stipe stout, 1-2 mm diam., subglabrous, stramineous to green or brown; apex dormant or continuing; bud with dense tuft of orange, long-ciliate scales, 1.5-2.0 mm long, 0.5 mm wide; pinnae 1-2 times pseudodichotomous, with dormant or continuing apices; penultimate segments pectinate, secondary axes pectinate on acroscopic side (or not), axes with fine, long-ciliate, 1.5-2.0 mm long, orange scales often out on segment midribs; ultimate segments linear, subcoriaceous, with dense arachnoid hairs; veins once-forked; sori inframedial, 3-4 sporangia per sorus; spores bilateral.
Species Description - Rhizome long-creeping; rhizome scales castaneous, linear, ciliate, 2-3 mm long, 0.2-0.3 mm wide; stipe stout, 1-2 mm diam., subglabrous, stramineous to green or brown; apex dormant or continuing; bud with dense tuft of orange, long-ciliate scales, 1.5-2.0 mm long, 0.5 mm wide; pinnae 1-2 times pseudodichotomous, with dormant or continuing apices; penultimate segments pectinate, secondary axes pectinate on acroscopic side (or not), axes with fine, long-ciliate, 1.5-2.0 mm long, orange scales often out on segment midribs; ultimate segments linear, subcoriaceous, with dense arachnoid hairs; veins once-forked; sori inframedial, 3-4 sporangia per sorus; spores bilateral.
Discussion:
Mertensia bifida Willdenow, Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Nya Handl. 25: 168. 1804. Dicranopteris bifida (Willdenow) Maxon, N. Amer. Fl. 16: 60. 1909. Sticherus bifidus (Willdenow) Ching, Sunyatsenia 5:282. 1940. Type. Venezuela. Caracas, Bredemeyers.n. (B-Willd. 19468!). Mertensia fulva Desvaux, Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 201. 1827. Dicranopteris fulva (Desvaux) Underwood, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 34: 255. 1907. Type. Jamaica. Blue Mts., without collector (P; photo BM). Mertensia gleichenioides Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 296 (seors. 144). 1849. Gleichenia liebmannii Moore, Index fil. 379. 1862, nom. superfl. illeg. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Cuapa, Liebmann [PI. Mex. 2109, Fl. Mex. 604] (C!). [A monstrous form of G. bifida.] This is the most common species of Gleichenia in Oaxaca, and is readily identified by its dense indument on the lower blade surface, which often hides the sori. It is most easily confused with G. brevipubis, which also has hairlike scales beneath. In that species the secondary axes are often pectinate on both sides of the axis, whereas in G. bifida the secondary axes are never wholly pectinate; but both species may be pectinate only on the upper side. The scales of the bud and penultimate costae in G. brevipubis are dark brown, rigid, mostly short-ciliate or setose and the costal scales on lower surface are nearly lacking and less than 1 mm long.
Mertensia bifida Willdenow, Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Nya Handl. 25: 168. 1804. Dicranopteris bifida (Willdenow) Maxon, N. Amer. Fl. 16: 60. 1909. Sticherus bifidus (Willdenow) Ching, Sunyatsenia 5:282. 1940. Type. Venezuela. Caracas, Bredemeyers.n. (B-Willd. 19468!). Mertensia fulva Desvaux, Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 201. 1827. Dicranopteris fulva (Desvaux) Underwood, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 34: 255. 1907. Type. Jamaica. Blue Mts., without collector (P; photo BM). Mertensia gleichenioides Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 296 (seors. 144). 1849. Gleichenia liebmannii Moore, Index fil. 379. 1862, nom. superfl. illeg. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Cuapa, Liebmann [PI. Mex. 2109, Fl. Mex. 604] (C!). [A monstrous form of G. bifida.] This is the most common species of Gleichenia in Oaxaca, and is readily identified by its dense indument on the lower blade surface, which often hides the sori. It is most easily confused with G. brevipubis, which also has hairlike scales beneath. In that species the secondary axes are often pectinate on both sides of the axis, whereas in G. bifida the secondary axes are never wholly pectinate; but both species may be pectinate only on the upper side. The scales of the bud and penultimate costae in G. brevipubis are dark brown, rigid, mostly short-ciliate or setose and the costal scales on lower surface are nearly lacking and less than 1 mm long.
Distribution:
Mexico North America| Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| French Guiana South America| Colombia South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| West Indies| Costa Rica South America| Guatemala Central America|
Mexico North America| Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| French Guiana South America| Colombia South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| West Indies| Costa Rica South America| Guatemala Central America|