Asplenium oligosorum Mickel & Beitel

  • 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 oligosorum Mickel & Beitel

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Ab A. olivaceo pinnis majoribus rachin tegen-tibus, rhizomatis squamis minoribus diversum, ulterius regionem inferiorem habitans. (Gr., oligos, few, and soros, sorus, alluding to the small number of sori per pinna.)

    Species Description - Rhizome short-creeping to ascending; rhizome scales black, clathrate, lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm long, 0.1-0.3 mm wide; fronds clumped; stipe 2.5-3.5 cm long, dark reddish-brown, lustrous, with slight wing; blade once-pinnate, 5-13 cm long, 1.3-1.5 cm wide, apex pinnatifid, non-proliferous; rachis dark reddish-brown with brown wing 0.1-0.3 mm wide, entire; pinnae 12-18 pairs, usually overlapping rachis, opposite only at blade base, articulate, rachis color not extending onto pinna stalk, dimidiate, arcuate, entire to coarsely undulate-serrate, 7-8 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, glabrous, apex acute to obtuse; hydathodes prominent; sori 1-2 per pinna; indusia 2-4 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, margin undulate.

  • Discussion

    Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Dist. Teotitlán, Mun. de Tenango, first half of the trail from San Martín Caballero to Tenango, 4300-5000' [1310-1520 m], 6 Oct 1971, Hallberg 1444 (NY!). Close to Asplenium olivaceum A. R. Smith, A. oligosorum differs in the less rounded (more arcuate) pinnae which usually overlap the rachis, more coarsely undulate margin, prominent wings, and larger indusia. Its non-occluded clathrate rhizome scales, prominent hydathodes and lack of proliferous buds will distinguish it from A. resiliens and A. palmeri.

  • Distribution

    [Habitat data lacking]; Teotitlán; 1300-1500 m. Known only from the type collection.

    Mexico North America|