Adiantum andicola Liebm.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Adiantum andicola Liebm.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes compact to long-creeping, 2–5 mm diam.; rhizome scales usually black, or castaneous only at rhizome tips, appressed, 1–1.5 x 0.1–0.3 mm, margins entire; fronds clumped to often well spaced, (23–)35–70 cm long, arching; stipes atropurpureous, lustrous, 10–40 cm x 1–3 mm, 1/2–2/3 the frond length, glabrous except at bases; blades broadly ovate to deltate, 3–5-pinnate proximally, 15–50 x 15–60 cm, tapering and less divided towards apices; rachises atropurpureous, glabrous, sometimes glaucous; pinnae 4–8 compound pairs, alternate, lowermost stalked 2–7 cm; pinnulets obovate to rhombic or flabellate, narrowly (to broadly) cuneate at bases, tiny (4 x 4 mm) to large (22 x 25 mm), distal margins incised-lobate, often articulate; veins free, forking, ending in teeth (when teeth are present); indument absent on both sides of blades, abaxially often glaucous and with or without a dense covering of minute papillae; idioblasts absent; sori 2–8 per pinnulet, confined to distal margins; indusia 1–2 mm long, reniform, round-reniform, or lunate, glabrous.

  • Discussion

    Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Cerro de Sempoaltepec, Liebmann s.n. [Pl. Mex. 2203, Fl. Mex. 434] (C!; isotypes NY! frag. ex US, US!). Adiantum cuneatum Langsd. & Fisch. var. angustifolium M. Martens & Galeotti, Me´m. Foug. Mexique 70. 1842. Lectotype (chosen by Morton, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 38: 216. 1973). Mexico. Veracruz: “Pic d’Orizaba,” Galeotti 6266 (BR! photo US; isotype K!, photo US). Adiantum tenerum Sw. var. dissectum M. Martens & Galeotti, Me´m. Foug. Mexique 71. 1842. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Galeotti 6361 (BR!, P! photo ex BR, US! photo ex BR). Adiantum amabile Liebm., Mexic. Bregn. 265 (reprint 113). 1849, non A. amabile T. Moore. Lectotype (chosen by Smith, 1981: 19). Mexico. Oaxaca: “inter Tonaguia et Roayaga,” Liebmann s.n. [Pl. Mex. 2206, Fl. Mex. 826] (C!; isolectotype C!, Fl. Mex. 430). Adiantum glaucophyllum Hook., Sp. Fil. 2: 40. 1851. Lectotype (chosen by Lellinger, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 89: 704. 1977). Panama. Veraguas, Seemann s.n. (K!). For additional synonymy, see Lellinger (1989: 145). Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Ags (De la Cerda & Garci´a 1350, HUAA, cited by Siqueiros-Delgado & Gonza´lez-Adame, 2004, but not verified). Tab (reported by Magan˜a, 1992, probably based on a misidentification). Adiantum andicola is most likely a complex comprising several species and is in need of monographic study. The papillate nature of the surface of pinnulets in some variants has been overlooked, and is most evident on specimens from Oaxaca and Guerrero. There is considerable variation in this species in pinnulet size, shape, blade dissection, glaucousness, and rhizome form (compact to long-creeping), but some correlation exists between pinnulet size and papilla size. The variants lumped together here have in common dark, usually black, rhizome scales (not found in other species with articulate pinnulets). Maxon and Morton’s unpublished A. hintonii (represented by King & Soderstrom 5043, NY; Rzedowski 45333, IEB; both from Michoaca ´n), with larger, broader pinnulets, is one of the more distinct variants; it is most common in western and central Mexico but extends to Panama. Other variants have more deeply incised pinnulets. Breedlove 42784 (DS), from Chiapas, also has more flabellate pinnulets and wider indusial sinuses, and Balls B4703 (UC), from Veracruz, has more lunate sori that lack pronounced sinuses, reminiscent of sori in A. braunii. Another extreme, with numerous, small, narrow pinnulets, and large laminar papillae (longer than wide), appears to be most common in Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chiapas, and Guerrero, but other small-pinnuleted specimens from these states and elsewhere in Mexico lack papillae. Specimens from Hidalgo and Tamaulipas are atypical in having more rounded, less incised pinnulets; identifications of several of these (e.g., Herna´ndez Magan˜a 6092, MEXU; Hinton 24893, TEX) are problematic.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in moist, oak or pine-oak forests, alder forests, at middle to high elevations, in dry woods, montane rain forests, evergreen cloud forests; 1000–3150 m. Mexico; Guat, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Col.

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