Grammitis asplenifolia (L.) Proctor

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Grammitis asplenifolia (L.) Proctor

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome short-creeping, 1-2 mm diam.; rhizome scales ferrugineous, 1.5-2 mm long, very long-ciliate on margin and surface; fronds clumped to subdistant; stipe 10-25 cm long, 1/3-½ the frond length, castaneous to atropurpureous, with long, straight, reddish hairs 2.5-3 mm long; blade pinnatisect, linear-lanceolate, 32-45 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide; pinnae 24-44 pairs, approximate, alternating, 14-20 mm long, 7-8 mm wide at base, 3-3.5 mm wide at midpinna, apex pinnatifid; pinnae approximate; upper surface glabrous except for short hairs (1-1.5 mm long) on the rachis and rare 0.8-1 mm long laminar hairs; lower surface with long hairs (0.8-1 mm) and scattered 0.3 mm branched single hairs on rachis and margin; sori round, glabrous; sporangia with 1-2 setae (0.2-0.3 mm long).

  • Discussion

    Polypodium asplenifolium Linnaeus, Sp. pl. 2: 1084. 1753. Type. Petiver, Pter. Amer. t. 7, f. 16, 1712, which is a redrawing of Plumier, Traité foug. Amér. t. 102A, 1705, representing a plant from Martinique. Polypodium laxifrons Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 204 (seors. 52). 1849. Lectotype (chosen by A. R. Smith, 1981: 120). Mexico. [Veracruz:] Mirador, Liebmann [FI. Mex. 232] (C!; isotypes K, US, frag. NY!). Single marginal hairs (not clustered), long stipes, approximate pinnae and short sporangial setae (0.2-0.3 mm) distinguish G. asplenifolia from G. cultrata. Differences in rhizome scale pubescence cited by Stolze (1981) between G. asplenifolia and G. lehmanniana (Hieronymus) Morton (Guat to S Amer) do not appear to hold up in our G. asplenifolia and we concur with A. R. Smith (1981) in questioning the distinctness of the two taxa.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic, pendent on trunks in wet montane forests; Choapan, Ixtlán, Villa Alta; 1150-1900 m. Mexico (Mich, Gro, Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat to Pan; WI, Trin; Col to Ec.

    Mexico North America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| West Indies| Panama Central America| Guatemala Central America|