Astrolepis crassifolia D.M.Benham & Windham

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Astrolepis crassifolia D.M.Benham & Windham

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short, stout, compact; rhizome scales to 15 mm long, castaneous, linear, entire or only sparsely ciliate, sinuous; fronds clumped, 8–45 cm long; stipes 1/6–1/4 the frond length; pinnae 10–33 pairs, each with 0–3 rounded lobes, lobed less than 1/3 of the way to costae; largest pinnae 12–20 x 4–8 mm, basal lobes without basiscopic lobules; adaxial surfaces glabrescent or sparsely clothed with white, ciliate, finely dissected scales ca. 1 mm long, the scale body linear, 2–3 cells wide; abaxial surfaces densely clothed with white to reddish brown, lanceolate, ciliolate scales; n=2n=87, apogamous (NL).

  • Discussion

    Notholaena crassifolia T. Moore & Houlston, Gard. Mag. Bot. 3: 20. 1851. Cheilanthes crassifolia (T. Moore & Houlston) Mickel & Beitel, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 111. 1988. Type. Cultivated, Houlston s.n. (BM, photo US). Notholaena pruinosa Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 8: 78. 1857. Notholaena sinuata (Lag.ex Sw.) Kaulf. var. pruinosa (Fe´e) E. Fourn., Mexic. Pl. 1: 120. 1872. Type. Mexico. “Valle´es de Toluca et d’Orizaba, Schaffner 167c (P, not found).

    Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Gto (Rzedowski 46922, IEB, cited by Di´az-Barriga & Palacios-Rios, 1992, but not verified). Mor (reported by Riba et al., 1986, but no specimen cited and report not verified). Astrolepis crassifolia is distinct by the entire or subentire pinnae and narrow adaxial laminar scales with long cilia.

  • Distribution

    Moist oak or pine-oak woods, deciduous forests, rocky soils, and crevices, gypsum hills, limestone rocks; 800–3100 m. Mexico; Guat, Hond.

    Honduras Central America| Guatemala Central America| México Mexico North America|