Ctenitis salvinii (Baker) Stolze

  • 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 salvinii (Baker) Stolze

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes suberect to erect, caudices ca. 1–1.5(–2) cm diam.; fronds 30–60(–100) cm long; stipes stramineous to tan, ca. 1/3 the frond length, 8–20(–30) cm x 1–2(–3) mm, bases with spreading, castaneous, lanceolate, flattish scales ca. 4–6(–8) x 0.5–1 mm; blades thinly herbaceous, green, deeply pinnate-pinnatifid to bipinnate at the bases, ovate-lanceolate, 15–40(–60) x 6–12(–20) cm; rachises abaxially with tan basally inrolled scales 0.5–2 mm long; pinnae 15–25 pairs, the proximal ones stalked 1–3 mm, somewhat shorter than the next pair, ± equilateral, 4–10 x 1–2 cm, broadest at the middle; segments distinctly serrate, the largest incised halfway to costules, rounded at the tips, margins eciliate; veins simple to 1(or 2)-forked, not reaching the margins; indument on costae and sometimes costules abaxially of numerous, tan, non-clathrate, strongly inrolled (saccate) scales 0.3–1.5 mm long, adaxially the costae and costules with jointed hairs mostly 0.2–0.5 mm long; laminae between veins on both sides glabrous or sparsely glandular abaxially; sori medial with large, tan, persistent, glabrous or sparsely glandular-hairy indusia 0.5– 0.8 mm diam.

  • Discussion

    Nephrodium salvinii Baker in Hooker & Baker, Syn. Fil. 274. 1867. Dryopteris salvinii (Baker) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 813. 1891. Type. Guatemala. Choctum, Salvin & Godman s.n. (K!).

    Aspidium lindenii Kuhn, Linnaea 36: 116. 1869. Dryopteris lindenii (Kuhn) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 813. 1891. Ctenitis lindenii (Kuhn) A. R. Sm., Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 40: 229. 1975. Type. Mexico. Tabasco: Teapa, Linden 1489 (B, photos BM!, NY!; isotypes K!, P, W!, frag. BM!).

    Ctenitis salvinii differs from other pinnate-pinnatifid and bipinnate species by the indusiate sori, lack of glandular hairs on the laminae abaxially, lobed pinnules, and tan, non-clathrate, strongly inrolled costal scales. Along with C. lanceolata, it is one of the smallest Mexican species in the genus. Usually it grows on limestone rocks. Outside of northern and eastern Chiapas (23 collections seen) and eastern Guatemala, the species is rare. Aspidium ameristoneuron Fe´e (Me´m. Foug. 8: 104. 1857) was said by Fe´e to be from Cuba, but Christensen (1920: 44), citing a Mettenius annotation in B, thought the type likely to have been collected in “Tabasco. 1849. Jurgensen,” and possibly an earlier name for Ctenitis salvinii. Most likely, the Berlin specimen annotated by Mettenius is Linden 1489 (Linden did collect in Tabasco; as far as we know, Ju¨rgensen did not). The holotype is possibly in RB (Windisch, Amer. Fern J. 72: 57. 1982). Linden 1489 is the type of Ctenitis lindenii. Fe´e’s description of Aspidium ameristoneuron seems to fit plants treated here, but until the identity of the type is settled, we prefer to maintain traditional usage.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial or on calcareous rocks, in wet montane forests; 100–1000 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel.

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