Blechnum divergens (Kunze) Mett.
-
Authority
Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.
-
Family
Blechnaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Species Description - Rhizome erect, 4-15 cm long or more, usually standing above ground, clothed at apex with pale brown, lanceolate to lance-ovate scales ca. 10 mm long, 2.2-5 mm wide. Sterile fronds 30-70 cm long; stipes shorter than the blades, marked with several pairs of obscure, scar-like, vestigial pinnae. Blades pinnatisect, abruptly reduced at base to 1-3 pairs of semicircular lobes, gradually reduced distally to the 4-9 cm terminal lobe; segments 9-18 on a side, deltate to oblong, 1.5- 3 cm broad, the apex acute, the margins entire, slightly revolute; tissue rigidly herbaceous, closely pellucid-punctate; veins distant (6-7 per cm), mostly 1 -forked near base, with tips not reaching the margins. Fertile fronds taller than the sterile, 10-22 cm broad, with 12-22 pinnae to a side, these 3-4 mm broad, linear with dilated bases. Indusium entire, not becoming lacerate.
-
Discussion
Basionym. Lomaria divergens Kunze, Linnaea 9: 57. 1834.
Type. Poeppig, Diar. 1141, from Pampayaco, Peru (LZ, destroyed, not seen).
Syn. Lomaria exaltata Fee, Mem. foug. 11: 10, t. 3. 1866. (Type from Guadeloupe, not seen; Fee's illustration is good.)
Struthiopteris exaltata (Fee) Broadhurst, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 39: 264. 1912.
-
Distribution
General Distribution. Greater Antilles except
West Indies| Central America| South America|