Bolbitis aliena (Sw.) Alston

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dryopteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Bolbitis aliena (Sw.) Alston

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome short-creeping, 3-7 mm diam.; rhizome scales brown, lanceolate, 4-7 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, entire; fronds dimorphic, 25-90 cm long, distant; stipe stramineous; sterile blade deltate, 15-45(-60) cm long, 15-30 cm wide, pinnate, apex pinnatifid, non-proliferous, 1-2 pairs of free pinnae, 2-7 adnate pinna pairs, margin crenate-serrate or shallowly lobed, sometimes cut ½ way to costa, lower side exaggerated on basal pair, regularly lobed or few conspicuous lobes; veins netted, without included veinlets or with only few, short, simple, included veinlets; fertile frond 35-75 cm long, 5-20 cm wide; stipe 20-60 cm long, 2-6 pinna pairs, basal pair basiscopically lobed; sori acrostichoid, but with continuous fringe of sterile tissue 1-2 mm wide around margin.

  • Discussion

    Acrostichum alienum Swartz, J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 13. 1801. Gymnopteris aliena (Swartz) Presl, Tent, pterid. 244. 1836. Leptochilus alienus (Swartz) Christensen, Bot. Tidsskr. 26: 285. 1904. Type. Jamaica. Collector not stated [Swartz] (S; isotype S). For additional synonyms, see Hennipman (1977: 132). The non-proliferous pinnatifid apex and large areoles without free included veins (or a few, short, unforked included veins) distinguish this taxon from B. portoricensis, with which it has been long confused. Bolbitis umbrosa (Liebmann) Ching (Acrostichum umbrosum Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 174 (seors. 22). 1849. Lectotype. Mexico. Veracruz: Mirador, Liebmann (B, frag. NY!, BM, K, frag. NY!)) is very similar if not conspecific, differing only in the presence of teeth in the blade sinuses. Known only from Veracruz (types) and Chiapas (Breedlove 22483, DS, NY).

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial on rocks or ground in wet forest; 700-1000 m in Chiapas (A. R. Smith, 1981). Mexico (Ver, Chis); Hond, Nic; WI, Trin; Col & Ven to Bol.

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