Asplenium harpeodes Kunze

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Aspleniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Asplenium harpeodes Kunze

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome short, suberect; rhizome scales brown, clathrate, long-attenuate, 6-10 mm long, margin with occasional teeth; fronds clumped, arching or pendent; stipe 1/10 the frond length, castaneous to black, dull, glabrous; blade once-pinnate with a non-radicant, pinnatifid apex, (25-)40-70(-90) cm long, 6-12 cm wide, lower pinnae deflexed, linear; rachis castaneous to black, lustrous, glabrous, narrow wings (0.3 mm wide); pinnae over 30 pairs, (3-)4.5-6 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, lanceolate, falcate, glabrous, long-attenuate terminal portion (1/3-½ the total length, less than 3 mm wide), cuneate base, excavate lower margin at base, margin serrate, sinuses 2-3 mm deep, lamina chartaceous; veins mostly simple except for basal portion, hydathodes prominent; sori (8-) 10-13 pairs (none on basal, forked veins) linear; indusia 2-4 mm long, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, entire.

  • Discussion

    Asplenium erectum Bory var. harpeodes (Kunze) Met-tenius, Abh. Senckenberg. Naturh. Ges. 3:166.1859. Syntypes. Mexico. Leibold 26\ Venezuela. Caracas, Linden 197; Mexico. Veracruz: Totutla, Galeotti 6407. Lectotype (selected by Morton & Lellinger, 1966: 15). Mexico. Leibold 26 (B! — 2 sheets, photo US!). Asplenium pendulum Fée, Mém. foug. 5: 196. 1852. Type. Mexico. Veracruz, Galeotti 6407 (P?; isotype BR!). Asplenium donnell-smithii Christ, Bot. Gaz. (Craw-fordsville) 20: 544. 1895. Type. Guatemala. Dept. Quiché, Heyde & Lux s.n. [Donnell-Smith 4678] (P?; US!, frag. NY!). Asplenium harpeodes is most often confused with A. laetum, from which it differs in its greater number of pinnae (over 30 pairs), the pinna apices long-acuminate, rhizome scales longer (6-9 mm), sori fewer per pinna (2-8 pairs), and epiphytic at middle elevations (1000-2500 m).

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in wet forests; Ixtlán, Mixe, Villa Alta; (1000-) 1600-2500 m. Mexico (Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat to Pan; Jam, Flisp; Ven & Col to Bol & Braz.

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