Cheilanthes bonariensis (Willd.) Proctor

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cheilanthes bonariensis (Willd.) Proctor

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping, horizontal, ca. 3 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear-lanceolate, strongly bicolorous with lustrous dark red-brown to black central stripe, 3 mm long, entire; fronds to 75 cm tall, clumped; stipes 1/6–1/3 the frond length, terete, castaneous to black, clothed with straight, somewhat appressed, white to tan hairs, 2 mm long; blades linear-elliptic, pinnatepinnatifid; pinnae 15–44 pairs, cut 1/4–3/4 to costae, with 3–5(–8) pairs of lobes; adaxial surfaces with abundant to scattered, appressed, stiff, 1-celled hairs (1 mm long); abaxial surfaces densely clothed with white to rusty matted hairs, these obscuring the laminar surfaces; sori at ends of veins, laminar margins slightly recurved, not modified into false indusia; sporangia 32-spored; spores gray, dark brown to black; n=2n=90, apogamous (Ariz).

  • Discussion

    Acrostichum bonariense Willd., Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 5(1): 114. 1810. Notholaena bonariensis (Willd.) C. Chr., Index Filic. 6. 1905. Type. [Argentina. Buenos Aires:] “Bonaria” (B-Willd. 195371!).

    Pteris aurea Poir. in Lamarck, Encycl. 5: 710. 1804. Notholaena aurea (Poir.) Desv., Me´m. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 219. 1827. Type. Peru. Joseph de Jussieu s.n. (P-Juss., sheet 1333!, photo GH).

    Cheilanthes ferruginea Willd. ex Link, Enum. Hort. Berol. Alt. 2: 463. 1822. Notholaena ferruginea (Link) Hook., Sec. Cent. Ferns, t. 52. 1861, hom. illeg., non Desv., 1813. Type. “America meridionali.” (B; photo GH).

    Notholaena chiapensis Rovirosa, Pteridogr. Sur Me´xico 229, t. 48, f. 1-6. 1909. Type. Mexico. Chiapas: “Prope El Sacramento,” Rovirosa 1077 (PH, frag. US!; isotype GH!).

    Cheilanthes bonariensis superficially resembles Astrolepis sinuata in dissection and heavy indument, but the latter species has indument abaxially of pectinate scales rather than long, matted hairs. There is considerable variation in the number of pinna lobes (3–8 pairs per pinna) and degree of cutting, occasionally less than 1/4 to 3/4 of the way to the costa. This is the most widespread and abundant pteridophyte species in Mexico, being in all states except Baja California Norte, Tabasco, and those of the Yucatan Peninsula.

  • Distribution

    Dry rocky slopes; 600–3200 m. Sw USA; Mexico; Guat, Hond, Nic, CR, Pan; Gr Ant; Col, Ven, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol, Chile, Parag, Arg, Uru.

    Mexico North America| Uruguay South America| Argentina South America| Paraguay South America| Chile South America| Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| Panama Central America| Costa Rica South America| Nicaragua Central America| Honduras Central America| Guatemala Central America|