Ctenitis thelypteroides A.R.Sm.

  • 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 thelypteroides A.R.Sm.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping to obliquely erect, to 4 mm diam., mostly obscured by stipe bases; fronds to ca. 60 cm long; stipes tan, ca. 1/2 the frond length, to 28 cm x 2 mm, bases with castaneous, spreading, lanceolate scales to 5 x 1 mm; blades green, pinnate-pinnatifid, ovate, to ca. 30 x 16 cm; rachises abaxially with scales similar to those of stipe bases but smaller; pinnae to 15 pairs, proximal ones stalked to 2 mm, to 9 x 2 cm, deeply incised to within 1 mm of costae, proximal pinnae somewhat narrowed at their bases; segments entire or minutely toothed, tips acute to obtuse, margins eciliate; veins simple, to 8 pairs per segment, reaching the margins above the sinuses; indument on costae abaxially of castaneous, linear-lanceolate, flattened, entire scales to 1.5 mm, also bearing minute glands ca. 0.1 mm; laminae between veins abaxially glabrous or with inconspicuous, scattered, yellow, appressed, tubular glands, glabrous adaxially; sori medial, mostly confined to tips of segments, with tan, persistent glabrous indusia ca. 0.3 mm diam.

  • Discussion

    Type. Mexico. Chiapas: Mpio. Las Margaritas, western side of Laguna Miramar E of San Quinti´n, Breedlove 33280 (DS! isotypes MEXU!, NY!).

    This differs from C. nigrovenia, its closest relative, by the smaller, indusiate sori localized at the tips of the segments and the proximally narrowed pinnae. Stolze (1981: 155) and Moran (in Davidse et al., 1995: 199) reduced C. thelypteroides to synonymy under C. nigrovenia, but the two species seem adequately distinct to us.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in lowland rain forests; 200 m. Mexico; Guat.

    Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America|