Anopteris hexagona subsp. intermedia C.V.Morton

  • Authority

    Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Anopteris hexagona subsp. intermedia C.V.Morton

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome 2-6 cm long, 5-10 mm thick, somewhat woody, bearing brown, entire, glabrous scales at apex. Fronds densely clustered, 20-50 cm long; stipes about equalling the blades or longer, pale brown or straw-colored, lightly grooved adaxially and bearing scattered deciduous, brown, retrorse, deltate-acuminate scales; a few similar scales on rhachis. Blades deltateovate, sub-pentagonal, 3-pinnate (fertile) to 4-pinnate-pinnatifid (sterile); basal pinnae the largest, deltate, inequilateral, the basal basiscopic primary pinnule somewhat elongate; ultimate sterile segments cuneate, coarsely dentate or incised toward apex; ultimate fertile segments larger (up to 1.5 cm long), narrowly elliptic, subentire or dentate at apex only, Sori oblong to linear, 2-7 mm long; indusium delicate, translucent.

    Distribution and Ecology - General Distribution. Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Apparently confined to a comparatively small area in the northwestem part of the island; recorded from Arecibo, Hatillo, Lares, San Sebastian, and Utuado. To be expected in Camuy and perhaps Quebradillas. Habitat. O n moist shaded limestone boulders and ledges in sheltered hollows or near the entrances to caves, at middle elevations (220-345 m), locally common.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 47.

    Type. Holdridge 2033, from Haiti (US). Syn. Onychium strictum of Maxon, Sci. Surv. Porto Rico & Virgin Is. 6: 431. 1926, ? not Kunze, 1848. (Kunze's type, destroyed at LZ, came from Cuba, where subsp. intermedia is not known to occur.)