Lophosoria quadripinnata (J.F.Gmel.) C.Chr.

  • Authority

    Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.

  • Family

    Dicksoniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lophosoria quadripinnata (J.F.Gmel.) C.Chr.

  • Description

    Species Description - A large tenestrial fem, with essential features as given for the genus. Caudex rarely as much as 1 m tall (usually less), sometimes several together forming a clump. Fronds normally 2-4 m long, the blades 1-2 m long and 1-1.5 m broad (but sometimes very much smaller in exposed situations), 3-pinnate to 4-pinnate-pinnatifid. Leaf tissue strongly whitish-glaucous beneath.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 27.

    Basionym. Polypodium quadripinnatum J. F. Gmelin in Linnaeus, Syst. nat. ed. 13, 2(2): 1314. 1791.

    Type. Swartz, from Jamaica without exact locality (isotype Herb. Willd. 19723, B, photos GH, US, labelled Polypodium pruinatum Swartz, which was an illegitimate renaming of P. glaucum Swartz, not Thunberg).

    Syn. Polypodium glaucum Swartz, Prodr. 134. 1788, not Thunberg, 1784. (Type. Swartz, from Jamaica; see isotype cited above.)

    Polypodium pruinatum Swartz, J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 29. 1802. (An illegitimate name not only because antedated by P. quadripinnatum J. F. Gmelin, but also because Swartz cited the earlier P. cinereum Cavanilles as a synonym.)

    Alsophila pruinata (Swartz) Kaulfuss ex Kunze, Linnaea 9: 99. 1834.

    Lophosoria pruinata (Swartz) K, Presl, Abh. Konigl. Bohm. Ges. Wiss. ser. 5, 5: 345. 1848.

    Alsophila quadripinnata (J. F. Gmelin) C. Christensen, Index filic. 47. 1905.

    (Further extensive synonymy omitted as not relevant to Puerto Rico.)

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Greater Antilles, and continental America from Mexico to Chile; also in the Juan Femandez Islands. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Found in the highest parts ofthe Siena de Luquillo, Siena de Cayey, and Cordillera Central; recorded from Adjuntas, Cayey, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Rio Grande, and San Lorenzo. Habitat. Montane thickets at upper middle to high elevations (700-1300 m), locally common.

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