Adiantum patens Willd.

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Adiantum patens Willd.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome compact; rhizome scales light brown, ciliate-fimbriate, 2-3 mm long, 0.8-1.0 mm wide; fronds 20-45 cm long, clumped; stipe ½-2/3 the frond length, castaneous, glabrous near the base; blade ovate-deltate to orbicular, appearing bipinnate, pseudopedate, rachis dividing into 7-10 pinnae, with ascending pinnae bearing ultimate segments, sterile segments lobed to serrate, subsessile (stalk less than 1 mm long), color of stalk passing out onto segment; hairs dense, branched, minute (0.1 mm long) on rachis, with scattered hairs (0.8-1.0 mm long) on both upper and lower blade surfaces; sori several per segment, lunate to reniform, on upper and outer margins of segments; indusium glabrous, 1.0-1.5 mm long; spores tan to brown.

  • Discussion

    Type. Venezuela. Caracas, Bredemeyer s.n. (B-Willd. 20078!, photo GH!, frag. NY!; isotype W). The pedate branching of the fronds and the minute, branching rachis hairs distinguish this species.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial, on road banks and in open woods; Juquila, Pochutla, Putla, Sola de Vega; 200-1350 m. Mexico (Son, Dgo, Sin, Nay, Jal, Col, Mich, Gro, Mor, Mex, Oax, Chis); Guat to CR; Ven & Col to Bol.

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