Ctenitis excelsa (Desv.) Proctor

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Dryopteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ctenitis excelsa (Desv.) Proctor

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes erect, stout, caudices to 3 cm diam.; fronds large, mostly 100–250 cm long or more; stipes stramineous, ca. 1/3–1/2 the frond length, to 75 + cm x 10 mm, bases with a dense mat of orangish, linear or filiform scales 10–30 x 0.2–0.6 mm; blades dark green, deltate, 3–4-pinnate-pinnatifid proximally, 2- pinnate-pinnatifid distally, to 75 x 60 cm; rachises abaxially glabrescent or with sparse linear scales like those of stipes, but shorter; pinnae to ca. 15 pairs, proximal pairs the longest, stalked to 9 cm, 20–55 x 10–30 cm, basiscopically enlarged, largest basiscopic pinnules to 20 x 10 cm, middle pinnae equilateral, pinnae becoming sessile distally; segments entire to crenulate, often subfalcate, acutish at tips, margins eciliate; veins simple or forked, reaching the margins above the sinuses; indument on costae abaxially of spreading to appressed, dark brown, clathrate, lanceolate, plane to saccate scales 10–30 x 0.2–0.5 mm, also with a few glandular hairs 0.1 mm; laminae between veins glabrous on both sides, or nearly so; sori medial, exindusiate.

  • Discussion

    Polypodium excelsum Desv., Me´m. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 243. 1827. Dryopteris excelsa (Desv.) C. Chr., Index Filic. 264. 1905. Type. West Indies. Locality and collector unknown (P, photo UC!, frag. B).

    Ctenitis excelsa is similar to Ctenitis equestris, but differs in the rhizome apices and stipe bases with a dense mat of orangish, linear or filiform scales 10–30 x 0.2–0.6 mm, ultimate segments oblong, oblique, often subfalcate and acutish at the tips, segment margins eciliate, sori exindusiate, and occurrence at lower elevations. From C. mexicana it can be distinguished by the darker, more decidedly clathrate scales in pinna axils and the veins ending at the segment margins, or nearly so. From other flat-scaled, bipinnate-pinnatifid (or more divided) taxa, C. excelsa can be distinguished by the eciliate blade margins and orangish filiform rhizome scales.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in wet forests; 50–800(–1400) m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; L Ant.

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