Hypolepis nigrescens Kunze

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dennstaedtiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hypolepis nigrescens Kunze

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome long-creeping, branched, dark brown, with sparse ctenitoid hairs; fronds to 6 m long; stipe reddish- to yellowish-brown, with spines numerous, straight to often slightly recurved, usually dark-tipped spines, with hairs often stiff and dark-tipped, also with minute appressed multicellular ctenitoid hairs; blade narrowly oblong-lanceolate, usually quadripinnate-pinnati-fid; segments pinnatifid, emarginate at vein tips; lamina usually drying blackish-green, texture thin; hairs (0.5 mm long) sparse on costae and major veins below, glabrous above, costae broadly grooved and naked; sori round, indusial flap hardly more than a tooth 0.8-1.0 mm long, 0.1-0.3 mm wide, subentire to slightly lacerate.

  • Discussion

    Syntypes. Jamaica. Wilson s.n., Wiles s.n., Pur die s.n. (Herb. Hooker et J. Smith); Venezuela. Caracas, Linden 5 & 6; Philippines. Luzon, Cumming 271 (all K!; isosyntypes of Wilson s.n. and Wiles s.n., BM!). Lectotype (chosen by Proctor, 1985: 179). Wilson s.n. Dennstaedtia rubicaulis Christ, Bull. Herb. Boissier II, 5: 258. 1905. Type. Costa Rica. Navarro, Wercklé s.n. (P?). Of the New World species, this is the most unusual and differs from the others in its chromosome number (n = 29 vs. 52), the recurved dark spines, dark-drying lamina, and emarginate teeth. It is the most scandent with long fronds that often unroll slowly with the pinnae entirely expanded before the next pair is produced. Plants in Hispaniola are often placed in a different species, H. hispaniolica Maxon, but are probably better treated as only varietally distinct or reduced to synonymy under H. nigrescens. It is most closely related to H. brooksiae van Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh of Southeast Asia, a specimen of which Hooker included as a syntype of this species.

  • Distribution

    Forest margins or in light woods in wet montane forests on Atlantic slope; Ixtlán, Mixe, Tehuantepec, Teotitlán, Tuxtepec, Villa Alta; 250-2200 m. Mexico (Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat, CR; Gr Antill; Col, Ven & Bol.

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