Bolbitis portoricensis (Spreng.) Hennipman

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dryopteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Bolbitis portoricensis (Spreng.) Hennipman

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping, 8–15(–20) mm diam.; rhizome scales reddish brown, to 10 x 2 mm, entire; fronds clumped, 40–140 cm long, the fertile ca. 2/3 as long as the sterile; stipes 4–60 cm x 2–6 mm, those of sterile fronds less than 1/2 the sterile frond length, those of fertile fronds ca. 2/3 the fertile frond length, sparsely scaly; sterile blades herbaceous to chartaceous, 15–80 x 7–50 cm, pinnate-pinnatifid, tapering to pinnatifid, apices acuminate, each apex often long-extended, with proliferous buds along its length; sterile pinnae 3–6 free pairs plus 1–4 partly adnate pairs, mostly 14–25 x 2–4(–5) cm, proximal pinnae stalked to 5 mm, unequally deltate, basiscopic side more developed, other pairs ± equilateral, shallowly lobed ca. 1/3 the way to the costae or less, lobes often toothed; veins areolate, areoles with mostly recurrent, often 1-forked, free veinlets; fertile blades oncepinnate, pinna pairs 5–10, mostly entire or with undulate margins except for proximal pair more deeply lobed and basiscopically exaggerated; sporangia covering the abaxial surfaces of fertile blades or sometimes along main veins only.

  • Discussion

    Acrostichum portoricense Spreng., Nova Acta Phys.-Med. Acad. Caes. Leop.- Carol. Nat. Cur. 10: 226. 1821. Gymnopteris portoricensis (Spreng.) Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 2: 85. 1845. Type. Puerto Rico. Bertero s.n. (G; isotypes P, TO).

    Acrostichum cladorrhizans Spreng., Nova Acta Phys.-Med. Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 10: 225. 1821. Leptochilus cladorrhizans (Spreng.) Maxon, Pteridophyt. Porto Rico 460. 1926. Bolbitis cladorrhizans (Spreng.) Ching in Christensen, Index Filic., Suppl. 3: 47. 1934. Type. Puerto Rico. Bertero s.n. (G; isotypes P, TO).

    Acrostichum irregulare Liebm., Mexic. Bregn. 173. (reprint 21) 1849. Type. Mexico. [Veracruz:] Barranca de Sta. Mari´a Tlatetla el Forti´n, Liebmann s.n. [Pl. Mex. 2688, Fl. Mex. 666, 667] (C-folio herb!; isotype B).

    This is the most common Bolbitis in Mexico; the flagelliform apices are characteristic of most sterile fronds. Bolbitis portoricensis is most easily confused with B. aliena and B. umbrosa (two other species with pinnatifid blade apices), both of which differ in lacking free included veinlets in the areoles. Bolbitis hastata differs in its pinnatifid blades. The sole collection from “Puebla” is undoubtedly mislabeled (“slopes of Ixtaccihuatl above Huejotzingo, 13,700 ft”).

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial or epipetric, especially near streams, in wet lowland and montane forests; 50–1400 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Ec.

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