Eriosorus

• Authority

  Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

• Family

  Pteridaceae

• Scientific Name

  Eriosorus

• Description

  Genus Description - Terrestrial; rhizome short-creeping, with hairs and scales at base; fronds small to large, often scandent or erect, monomorphic, not articulate; stipe mostly brown to atropurpureous, hairy to glandular, rachis sometimes flexuous; blade pinnate-pinnatifid to quadripinnate; pinnae mostly at right angles to rachis, rarely retroflexed, lamina usually hairy or glandular; segments toothed or blade highly dissected forming linear segments, each with a single vein; veins free; sporangia along the veins of terminal segments; paraphyses lacking; spores tetrahedral-globose, without perispore but generally with a noticeable equatorial flange, often with ridges.

• Discussion

  Type: Eriosorus scandens Fée [=Eriosorus areonitens (Hooker) Copeland]. Eriosorus is a wholly American genus of 25 species of high elevation cloud forests in forested to open areas. It is close to Jamesonia, and in some areas resembles it and hybridizes with it. There are only two species in Mexico, both in Oaxaca. Eriosorus is distinct in Oaxaca by its gymnogrammoid sori, 3-4-pinnate blade, and hairy rhizome. Reference: Tryon, A. F. 1970. A monograph of the fern genus Eriosorus. Contr. Gray Herb. 200: 54-174.