Ananthacorus angustifolius (Sw.) Underw. & Maxon

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ananthacorus angustifolius (Sw.) Underw. & Maxon

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes compact to short-creeping; roots with abundant soft hairs; rhizome scales linear to lanceolate, 2-6 x 0.3-0.7(-1) mm, 4-10 cells wide at the base; fronds 2-7 mm distant, with distinct stipes absent or very short, flattened, and narrowly alate; blades 15-45 x 0.9-1.5 cm at widest part, 1.5-2 mm wide at base, attenuate at both ends, slightly falcate, midribs evident, concolorous; vein areoles hexagonal or sometimes pentagonal; sporangia near outer edge of the ultimate series of areoles, 1-1.5 mm from the blade margins, sometimes interrupted; 2n=240 (Jam).

  • Discussion

    Pteris angustifolia Sw., Prodr. 129. 1788. Taenitis angustifolia (Sw.) Spreng., Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 4: 42. 1827. Vittaria angustifolia (Sw.) Baker in Martius, Fl. Bras. 1(2): 544. 1870, non Blume, 1828. Type. “Jamaica and Hispaniola,” probably collected by Swartz in Jamaica (Proctor, Fl. L. Antill. 2: 376. 1977). Vittaria costata Kunze, Linnaea 9: 77. 1834. Type. Peru. Poeppig s.n. (holotype LZ, destroyed; isotype W; drawing of probable holotype at B). This is relatively common in rain forest areas of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Chiapas, but uncommon or rare elsewhere in Mexico. It is superficially similar to some species of Radiovittaria, especially R. remota (Fe´e) E. H. Crane in tropical America, but the latter has distinct, darkened stipes, marginal commissural veins, and lacks hexagonal areoles. In blade shape, Ananthacorus is also similar to Polytaenium lineatum, which differs in having 4–6 linear sori per frond.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic or epipetric in lower montane and montane forests, semi-deciduous tropical forests; 50-1500 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol.

    Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| West Indies| Panama Central America| Costa Rica South America| Honduras Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America| México Mexico North America|