Danaea elliptica Sm.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Marattiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Danaea elliptica Sm.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping, horizontal, green, 8–10 mm diam.; rhizome scales light or dark brown; fronds to 1 m tall; stipes 1/2– 2/3 the frond length, olive-brown, glabrous or with remote, appressed, black to brown scales, with 2–5 nodes; blades 13–35 cm wide; pinnae 3–6 pairs, sterile pinnae 9–17 x 2.5–4.5 cm, narrowly elliptic, margins subentire, bases cuneate, apices acute to acuminate; laminar scales sparse, heavier on costae; laminae chartaceous, olive-green; veins simple to 1-forked, 8–11/cm; fertile pinnae similar to sterile ones in shape, 5.5–11.5 x 1.2–2.3 cm; synangia 33–118 per pinna; 2n=160 (Trin).

  • Discussion

    Lectotype (chosen by Lellinger, Amer. Fern Soc. 90: 102. 2000). Jamaica. Sloane s.n. (BM-Hb. J. E. Smith cat. no. 1645.7 ex LINN).

    Danaea elliptica resembles D. nodosa in the broad sterile pinnae, but the former has nodose stipes, fewer pinnae, and more widely spaced veins. There has been some confusion regarding the typification of D. elliptica, its having been lectotypified twice before (Underwood, 1902: 672; Proctor, 1985: 62), but Lellinger (2000) has carefully explained the situation.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in wet montane forests of Atlantic slope; 150–850 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Nic, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol.

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