Ctenitis sloanei (Spreng.) C.V.Morton

  • 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 sloanei (Spreng.) C.V.Morton

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes erect, caudices 4-5 cm diam.; fronds 1-1.5 m long; stipes stramineous to tan, 1/3-1/2 the frond length, to 70 cm x 10 mm, bases with dense, orangish to reddish tan, woolly, tangled, hair-like scales mostly 10-40 x 0.5-1 mm; blades chartaceous, yellowish green, deltate, 4-pinnate-pinnatifid at bases, 2-pinnate-pinnatifid distally, broadly deltate, 50-100 x 40-120 cm; rachises abaxially with scattered, stramineous to tan, lanceolate, flattened to somewhat inrolled scales mostly 1-2 mm long; pinnae to ca. 12 pairs, proximal ones stalked to 4 cm, the largest to 65 x 25 cm, basiscopically enlarged (unequally deltate, basiscopic pinnules longer than corresponding acroscopic ones), the largest basiscopic pinnules to 30 x 18 cm; segments entire or the largest ones serrate, subfalcate, rounded or subacute at tips, margins glandular-ciliate with hairs 0.1-0.2 mm; veins simple or 1- forked, reaching margins above the sinuses; indument on costae and costules abaxially of tan, lanceolate, flattish or sometimes basally inrolled, appressed scales 1-2 x 0.2-0.5 mm, most numerous in axils of pinnae and pinnules; laminae on and between veins abaxially with yellowish cylindrical and capitate glands ca. 0.1 mm long, adaxially glabrous or with sparse glands or glandular hairs; sori medial, exindusiate or with small, tan, fugacious, glandular indusia, often hidden in mature sori, sporangia often bearing a small glandular hair < 0.1 mm long below annuli; 2n=82 (Jam), 164 (Trin).

  • Discussion

    Polypodium sloanei Poepp. ex Spreng., Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 4(1): 59. 1827. Type. Cuba. Near Cahoba, Poeppig s.n. (LZ destroyed, frag. BM; isotypes B, HBG, L, P, frag. US!).

    This differs from C. equestris and C. mexicana by the narrower, orangish to reddish tan stipe bases and rhizome scales, similar to those found in C. interjecta and C. excelsa, and also by the glandular blade surfaces abaxially. Ctenitis interjecta differs by the more nearly equilateral proximal pinnae, while C. excelsa differs by the eciliate segment margins. Both collections of C.sloanei cited by Palacios-Rios, 1992, from Veracruz as this species are C. excelsa.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in lowland rain forests; 350 m. USA (Fla); Mexico; Nic, CR, Pan; Cuba, Jam, Hisp, L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Ec, Peru, Bol. Also cited from Honduras and El Salvador by Moran (in Davidse et al., 1995), but the identity of these needs verification.

    Mexico North America| United States of America North America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Bolivia South America| Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America|