Cheilanthes brachypus (Kunze) Kunze
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Authority
Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.
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Family
Pteridaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Rhizomes compact, ascending, ca. 3 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear-lanceolate, 6–12 mm long, concolorous orange-tan to slightly bicolorous with a castaneous center and pale margins, lustrous, entire or with occasional teeth; fronds to 30 cm tall, clumped; stipes ca. 1/10 the frond length, only ca. 2–3 cm long, dark brown, terete, with linear scales 2–3 mm long, bases swollen, erose, dull, light brown with whitish margins, mixed with fine hairs 2 mm or more long; blades oblanceolate, longest pinnae 1.2–3.5 cm long just above middle of blade, narrowing proximally, pinnate-pinnatifid; pinnae 9–20 pairs, equilateral; adaxial surfaces dark green with scattered to dense tomentum of curly hairs (1 mm long); abaxial surfaces densely covered with lanceolate scales, these erose at base, overlying a dense rusty tomentum of fine hairs; laminar margins recurved and strongly modified into false indusia 0.5 mm wide; spores tan to black; 2n =60 (Mor).
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Discussion
Cheilanthes squamosa Hook. & Grev. var. brachypus Kunze, Linnaea 18: 340. 1844. Notholaena brachypus (Kunze) J. Sm., Ferns Brit. For. 172. 1866. Type. Mexico. Leibold 52 (B!; isotypes BM, photo US!, K!, photo GH, P!).
Although this species traditionally was placed in Notholaena, it has well differentiated false indusia. Cheilanthes brachypus superficially resembles Astrolepis sinuata, but differs from that species in the false indusia, sori limited to vein ends, and nonarticulate pinnae with long, unbranched hairs on both surfaces (although mixed with scales on the abaxial surfaces).
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Distribution
Rocky slopes and stream banks; 50-1950 m. Mexico; Guat, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR.
Mexico North America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Nicaragua Central America| El Salvador Central America| Honduras Central America| Guatemala Central America|