Asplenium monanthes L.

  • 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 monanthes L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome erect; rhizome scales bicolorous, central portion occluded, margin thin, brown, clathrate, 4-6 mm long, 0.5-0.8 mm wide, apex long-attenuate to capillary; fronds clumped; stipe 2-12 cm long, castaneous, atropurpureous or black, glabrous, adaxially flattened, not or slightly winged; blade once-pinnate, linear, 15-40(-60) cm long, apex pinnatifid, non-proliferous; rachis castaneous, atropurpureous or black, lustrous, wings brown, 0.1-0.3 mm wide, with sparse to scattered, twisted, hairlike scales 1-2 mm long; pinnae to 50 pairs, quadrangular, reduced at blade base, dimidiate, to 20 mm long, 2-7 mm wide, entire to slightly toothed; upper edge crenulate with mucronate teeth or subentire, sinuses to 0.8 mm deep, lower edge straight, entire, lower surface with rare to scattered clavate hairs; axis rarely with buds in axils of lowest pinnae; hydathodes prominent; sori often one to two per pinna, along lower edge, in some forms 2-4 sori in pairs; indusia 2-3(-5) mm long, 1 mm wide, entire.

  • Discussion

    Asplenium monanthemum Linnaeus, Syst. veg. ed. 14: 933. 1784. nom. illeg. Type. South Africa. Cape of Good Hope (LINN 1250. 17, photo US). Asplenium arcuatum Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 241 (seors. 89). 1849. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Mirador and Zacuapán, Liebmann [Pl. Mex. 2257, Fl. Mex. 296] (C!, probable isotype K, frag. NY!). Asplenium galeottii Fée, Mém. foug. 7: 50, t. 16, f. 2. 1857. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca, Galeotti 6369 (P). Asplenium leptophyllum Fée, Mém. foug. 7: 50, t. 14, f. 2. 1857. Syntypes. Colombia. Ocaña, Schlim 328, 479 (isosyntype of 479 at B; also at B is Moritz 328, which may be one of the syntypes, possibly attributed mistakenly to Schlim); Mexico. Galeotti 6446 (P!; isotype BR!). Asplenium monanthes is a variable species ranging from Africa to Argentina and north to the southwestern United States and Hawaii. The prominent hydathodes of A. monanthes will serve to distinguish it from Asplenium resiliens, A. heterochroum and A. palmeri. Asplenium castaneum and A. polyphyllum have non-occluded clathrate rhizome scales, light brown rachises, and more pairs of sori per pinna. Asplenium monanthes is most confused with A. hallbergii (q.v.), which, however, has fibrillose rachis wings and short (1-2 mm long) occluded rhizome scales.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial on rocky slopes in light pine-oak woods at middle to upper elevations; Centro, Coixtlahuaca, Cuicatlán, Etla, Ixtlán, Miahuatlán, Mixe, Pochutla, Sola de Vega, Teo-titlán, Tlacolula, Tlaxiaco, Villa Alta; (900-) 1450-2900 m. Mexico (Chih, Dgo, Nay, Jal, Col, Mich, Gro, Mex, DF, Mor, Hgo, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis); sw US; Guat to Pan; Jam, Hisp; Col & Ven to Braz & n Arg; Africa; Hawaii.

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