Elaphoglossum erinaceum (Fée) T.Moore

  • 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

    Elaphoglossum erinaceum (Fée) T.Moore

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome short-creeping, to 7 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear, orange, to 17 mm long, entire or with very irregular teeth near the tip; phyllopodia lacking; fronds clumped, 23-73 cm long, 2.3-8.0 cm wide; stipe 1/3-½ the frond length, with scales dark reddish-brown, subulate, widely spreading, to 5 mm long, also with minute erect glandular hairs on stipe and midvein; blade lanceolate to elliptic, chartaceous, apex acuminate to caudate, base cuneate to rounded; veins evident, free, simple or once-forked, 1-2 mm apart, at 70-80° angle; hydathodes lacking; blade scales subulate, dark reddish-brown, often appearing black, mostly on the midvein and spreading from the margin, also with minute, simple, branched, or stellate hairs on the lower surface; fertile fronds considerably shorter than the sterile (ca. ½ the length of the sterile) and somewhat narrower, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, with a noticeable sterile margin, scales lacking on the lower surface; spores with broad, low, smooth ridges.

  • Discussion

    Acrostichum erinaceum Fée, Mém. foug. 2: 41. 1845. Syntypes. Guadeloupe. Rivière de Saint-Louis, de Thiouville (P!); Brazil. Gaudichaud\ Mexico. 1827, Karwinsky s.n. (P?). Acrostichum blepharodes Fée, Mém. foug. 2: 48, t. 24, f. 3. 1845, nom. nov. Acrostichum crinitum Martens & Galeotti, Mém. foug. Mexique 25. 1842, nom. illeg., non Linnaeus, 1753. Elaphoglossum blepharodes (Fée) Moore, Index fil. 7. 1857. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Zacuapán, Galeotti 6297 (BR!). Elaphoglossum fimbriatum Moore, Index fil. 356. 1862. Acrostichum nitidum Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 168 (seors. 16). 1849, non Elaphoglossum nitidum Brackenridge, 1854, nec Acrostichum fimbriatum So-diro, 1883. Type. Mexico. Puebla: Chinautla, Liebmann [Mex. Pl. 2421] (C!; isotype P!). Acrostichum mexicanum Fournier, Mexic. pl. 1: 63. 1872. Type. Mexico. Puebla: Chinautla, Tizutlán, Liebmann s.n. (P!; isotype K!). Elaphoglossum erinaceum belongs to a very perplexing group. The Oaxacan material shows considerable variation in blade size and relative width, rhizome scale size, and habitat. Further study may show this material to represent more than one taxon. Of special note are Mickel 1083 and 5646, which have very large blades (8.5-10 cm wide, 45-50 cm long) and large rhizome scales (ca. 1 cm long and 2 mm wide). These may in fact be a distinct species, in which case the name would be E. fimbriatum Moore.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic and epipetric in montane rain forests and cloud forests; Ixtlán, Mixe, Teotitlán, Villa Alta; 1000-2500 m. Mexico (Jal, Mich, Gro, Mor, Mex, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis); Guat to Pan; WI; Col & Ven to Bol & Braz.

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