Asplenium salicifolium 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 salicifolium L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome erect; rhizome scales dark brown, clathrate, lanceolate, 4-7 mm long, 0.8 mm wide, with golden hairs 0.8-2 mm long; fronds clumped; stipe 9-18 cm long, ca. (to 1/3) the frond length, gray-green or brownish-green, dull, glabrous; blade once-pinnate, lanceolate, oblong apex pinnatifid, non-proliferous, 25-60 cm long, 10-20 cm wide; rachis green, alate with wings 0.1-0.3 mm wide, glabrous; pinnae 7-16 pairs, pinna stalk 2-3 mm long, base inequilateral, oblong-lanceolate, long-attenuate, falcate, acroscopic auricle overlapping the rachis, 55-75 mm long, 10-12 mm wide, simply or doubly crenate, (17-)25-30 low teeth on acroscopic margin, firm texture; veins obscure, mostly twice-forked, hydathodes small; sori 7-10 pairs; indusia 5-8 mm long, 0.8 mm wide, entire.

  • Discussion

    Lectotype (chosen by Morton & Lellinger, 1966: 23). Plumier, Traité foug. Amér., t. 60. 1705. Asplenium bicrenatum Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 245 (seors. 93). 1849. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Dist. Chinantla, Liebmann [Pl. Mex. 2292, Fl. Mex. 320] (C!, frag. US!). Closely related to the more common Asplenium auriculatum, A. salicifolium differs in the larger frond with more remote pinnae, more teeth on the acroscopic pinna margin (17-39), larger pinnae (5.5-7.5 cm long), twice-forked veins and more pairs of sori per pinna (7-10).

  • Distribution

    Mostly epiphytic in wet montane forests; Choapan, Ixtlán, Juchitán, Tuxtepec; 100-750 m. Mexico (Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat to CR; WI, Trin; Col to Gui, Peru to Braz.

    Mexico North America|