Ctenitis excelsa (Desv.) Proctor

  • 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

    Ctenitis excelsa (Desv.) Proctor

  • Description

    Species Description - Similar to Ctenitis equestris except: rhizome apex and stipe base with a dense mat of orangish, linear or filiform scales 10-12 mm long, 0.5 mm wide; ultimate segments oblong, oblique, often subfalcate and acutish at tip, with segment margins eciliate; costae adaxially with dense, 0.3-0.5 mm long, ctenitoid hairs; indusium absent.

  • Discussion

    Polypodium excelsum Desvaux, Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 243. 1827. Dryopteris excelsa (Desvaux) Christensen, Index filie. 264. 1905. Type. West Indies. Without locality or collector (P, photo UC, frag. B). Among the non-bullate scaled, bipinnate-pinnatifid (or more divided) taxa, C. excelsa can be distinguished by the veins, which reach the eciliate pinna margin, orange, filiform rhizome scales, and lower elevation (C. equestris occurs at 12502450 m elevation).

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in wet forest; Choapan, Ixtlán, Juchitán, Juquila, Mixe, Pochutla, Putla, Tuxtepec; 50-1150(-1400) m. Mexico (Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat to CR; L Antill.

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