Grammitis xiphopteroides (Liebm.) A.R.Sm.

  • 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 xiphopteroides (Liebm.) A.R.Sm.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome horizontal; rhizome scales black, clathrate, lanceolate, 3-4 mm long, entire; fronds clumped; stipe ¼-1/3 the frond length, castaneous to black, stiffly pilose with l-1.5(-2) mm long hairs; blade pinnatisect, 10-20 cm long, 11-40 mm wide, truncate to tapering at base; rachis black, with scattered reddish-brown hairs, 0.5-0.8 mm long on upper and lower surfaces; pinnae acute to obtuse, 5-19 mm long, 2-3.5 mm wide at base, 2-2.5 mm wide at midpinna, costae somewhat evident, hydathodes present, only a few pinnae with 1-2 hairs marginal at apex to all pinnae with 1-4 hairs in apical ¼ of pinna, laminar surface glabrous except for hairs clustered around and in sori; sori round, with numerous clustered hairs (1-2 mm long); sporangia glabrous.

  • Discussion

    Polypodium xiphopteroides Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 196 (seors. 44). 1849. Syntypes. Mexico. Veracruz: “Pr. Totula,” Liebmann [PI. Mex. 2549, Fl. Mex. 188, 190] (C!; isosyntypes K!); Veracruz: “Hac. de Mirador,” Liebmann [PI. Mex. 2548, Fl. Mex. 189] (C!); Oaxaca: “Yavesia,” Liebmann [Pl. Mex. 2550, Fl. Mex. 188] (C!), “Trapiche de la Concepción,” Liebmann [Pl. Mex. 2547, Fl. Mex. 189] (C!). Lec-totype (chosen by A. R. Smith, 1981: 125). Mexico. Veracruz: “Hac. de Mirador,” Liebmann [PI. Mex. 2548, Fl. Mex. 189] (C!). Polypodium rigens Maxon, Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 27: 741. 1904. Ctenopteris rigens (Maxon) Copeland, Philipp. J. Sci. 84: 422. 1955 [1956]. Grammitis rigens (Maxon) Proctor, Brit. Fern Gaz. 9: 219. 1965. Type. Jamaica. John Crow Peak, Maxon 1346 (US). The presence of hairs on the upper surface of the rachis and the clumped nature of the fronds in the group of G. leptostoma, G. pilosissima and G. xiphopteroides distinguish it from the group of G. moniliformis, G. katasophistes, and G. deltata, which have distant fronds and no hairs on the upper rachis surface. Some small plants of the G. pilosissima group become fertile at very small size (pointed out by A. R. Smith, 1981) and the narrow fronds are often mistaken for the G. moniliformis group. The glabrous pinna margins, surface and sori of G. leptostoma, and pinna margins with hairs over the entire length, long (5-7 mm) rhizome scales, and evenly spaced laminar hairs of G. pilosissima readily separate these taxa from G. xiphopteroides (having hairs clustered in the sori and 0-4 marginal hairs in the apical ¼ of pinna). See discussion under G. zempoaltepetlensis for comparison with that species.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in wet montane forests; Choapan, Cuicatlán, Ixtlán, Mixe, Tuxtepec, Villa Alta; 1150-3050 m. Mexico (Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat; Jam. [No authentic specimens from s of Guat.]

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