Asplenium salicifolium L.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Aspleniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Asplenium salicifolium L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Roots relatively coarse, fibrous, not proliferous; rhizomes erect; rhizome scales orange-brown, clathrate, 4–7 x 0.4–0.8 mm, margins with scattered golden hairs 0.8–2 mm long but otherwise entire; fronds clumped, 25–60 x 10–20 cm; stipes gray-green or brownish green, dull, 9–28 cm x 2–3.5 mm, ca. 1/3–1/2 of frond length, glabrous or nearly so, not alate or only obscurely greenwinged; blades thick-herbaceous, 1-pinnate, lanceolate, 16–38 x 8–20 cm, apices pinnatifid or hastate and ±confluent, not proliferous; rachises yellowish green to tan, dull, glabrous, with wings 0.1–0.3 mm wide; pinnae lanceolate, falcate, 7–16 pairs, 5.5–9 cm x 10–15 mm (excluding acroscopic lobe), stalked 2–4 mm, bases inequilateral, acroscopically subcordate with auricles rounded and overlapping rachises, basiscopically excised or cuneate, apices long-attenuate, margins simply or doubly crenate with (17–)25–30 low teeth on acroscopic margins; veins mostly 1–2-forked, obscure, tips evident adaxially; indument abaxially of scattered, appressed, tan, clavate hairs ca. 0.1–0.2 mm long; sori 7–15 pairs per pinna, on both sides of midveins; indusia 5–10 x 0.5–1 mm, entire; spores reniform; 2n=288 (Trin).

  • Discussion

    Lectotype (chosen by Morton & Lellinger, 1966: 23). Plumier, Descr. Pl. Ame´r., pl. 27. 1693 [= Traite´ Foug. Ame´r., pl. 60. 1705], illustrating a specimen collected by Plumier from either Hispaniola or Martinique, without definite locality.

    Asplenium bicrenatum Liebm., Mexic. Bregn. 245 (reprint 93). 1849. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Dist. Chinantla, Liebmann s.n. [Pl. Mex. 2292, Fl. Mex. 320] (C!, frag. US!).

    Asplenium salicifolium is closely related to the much more common A. auriculatum, and differs from that in the larger fronds with more remote and larger pinnae 5.5–9 cm long, more teeth on the acroscopic pinna margins (17–39), often 2-forked veins, and more pairs of sori per pinna (7–15). Proctor (1985: 378) regarded A. salicifolium and A. auriculatum as varieties of a single species. Torres C. 8664, cited above, is somewhat intermediate between the two species. Adams (in Davidse et al., 1995) recognized a second variety, var. aequilaterale (Christ) C. D. Adams, confined to Costa Rica and Panama.

  • Distribution

    Mostly epiphytic in wet montane forests; 100– 1200 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol. Reported from Nicaragua by Gómez (1976: 53).

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