Diplazium lonchophyllum Kunze

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

  • Family

    Athyriaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Diplazium lonchophyllum Kunze

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome erect; rhizome scales 4-6 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, black, sclerotic, linear-lanceolate, entire; fronds clumped; stipe (8-) 14-22(-40) cm long, ½-2/3 the frond length, green to stramineous, dark at base, occasionally with black scales at base; blade 25-50 cm long, 12-20 cm wide, mostly pinnate-pinnatifid, bipinnate only at base, deltate to ovate-lanceolate; rachial and costular adaxial grooves with sparse, papilla-like hairs (less than 0.1 mm long); pinnae (6-)8-12(-15) cm long, 2-3(-4) cm wide, cut 4/5 to the costa, apex long-acuminate, pinnatifid, base inequilaterally cuneate to subtruncate, stalked (34 mm long), auricle lobe a distinct pinnule on basal 1-2 pairs of pinnae, lobes spreading to ascending, acute to acuminate, glabrous; veins free; sori 6-10 pairs per segment, indusia 4-6 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, erose.

  • Discussion

    Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Jalapa, Schiede s.n. (isotype BM; photos UC, NY!, US!). Diplazium inaequilaterum Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 255 (seors. 103). 1849. Syntypes. Mexico. Veracruz: All collected by Liebmann, “Mirador,” 1/43 [Pl. Mex. 2379, Fl. Mex. s.n.], “circa Mirador,” 3/42 [Pl. Mex. 2379, Fl. Mex. 355], “Mirador,” 7-11/41 [Pl. Mex. 2379, Fl. Mex. s.n.j, “Barranca de Jovo,” 5/41 [Pl. Mex. 2380, Fl. Mex. 354, s.n.] (C!, photos NY!, UC, US, frag. NY!; isosyntypes K!—2 sheets). Diplazium acutale Fée, Mém. foug. 5: 215. 1852. Type. Mexico. [Veracruz: Mirador,] Galeotti 6289 (P!; isotypes BR!, K!). Diplazium lonchophyllum is quite variable and in need of monographic study along with D. werckleanum and D. cristatum (q.v.). It differs from those two species by the arbitrary distinction of the basal pinnae having distinct basal acroscopic pinnules in D. lonchophyllum and D. drepanolobium as opposed to pinnae merely lobed or cut ¾ of distance to midrib. Diplazium drepanolobium (q.v.) has longer and wider pinnae that are strongly oblique and falcate, longer rhizome scales, and narrower, subentire indusia. Intermediate specimens (1619, Mixe, 1450 m; 6184, Juquila, 1350-1450 m) possessing abortive spores (1619 = triploid, 41 pairs and 75 univalents (Mickel et al., 1966)) represent the hybrid combination D. drepanolobium x lonchophyllum. (Fig. 100F is of a medial pinna.)

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial on slopes and along streams; Juquila, Mixe, Pochutla, Teotitlán, Tuxtepec; 750-1550 m. Mexico (Nay, Jal, Mich, Gro, Mex, Mor, SLP, Hgo, Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat to CR.

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