Hymenophyllum fucoides (Sw.) Sw.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Hymenophyllaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hymenophyllum fucoides (Sw.) Sw.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome creeping, 0.3-0.5 mm diam.; rhizome hairs reddish, 0.8-1.0 mm long; fronds 820 cm long, somewhat distant; stipe 0.4-0.7 mm diam., lower 1/3 of stipe not alate, hairs sparse, simple; blade tripinnatifid, ovate to linear-lanceolate, reduced slightly towards base, 1.5-5 cm wide; rachis narrowly alate, with reddish-black hairs on lower surface, 0.8-1.0 mm; pinnae adnate; segments 1.0-2.0 mm wide, glabrous, apex obtuse; margin plane, coarsely serrate, teeth 0.1-0.3 mm long; involucres not immersed, 2.5-3.0 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide, constricted at base, margin entire to serrulate, receptacle slightly to long-exserted.

  • Discussion

    Trichomanes fucoides Swartz, Prodr. veg. ind. occ. 136. 1788. Meringium fucoides (Swartz) Copeland, Philipp. J. Sci. 67: 45. 1938. Type. Jamaica. Swartz s.n. (S; photo UC). Among the taxa with toothed margins, H. tunbrigense differs by being much smaller in overall size and segment width, having the involucres often oriented at right angles to the plane of the blade, the indusial margin being entire to scarcely serrate, and being often terrestrial. Hymenophyllum fucoides is part of a complex, including H. ectocarpon (q.v.), which differs from H. fucoides in having deeply laciniate involucral margins.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in dense wet forests; Cuicatlán, Ixtlán, Mixe, Teotitlán, Tlacolula, Villa Alta; 1850-2700 m. Mexico (Oax, Chis); Guat to Pan; WI, Trin; Ven, Col, to Bol & s Braz.

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