Lomariopsis

• Authority

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

• Family

  Lomariopsidaceae

• Scientific Name

  Lomariopsis

• Description

  Genus Description - Hemiepiphytic; rhizome long-creeping, dorsiventral, climbing, scaly; fronds holodimorphic; stipe scaly; sterile blade once-pinnate, terminal pinna conform (ours) or abortive with articulate lateral pinna acting as false terminal pinna; pinnae articulate, rachis alate or not; juvenile fronds with more deeply toothed pinnae (rachis more broadly alate); veins free, simple to forking; fertile blade much constricted, lamina greatly reduced, pinnae linear, articulate, stalked or not; sori acrostichoid, ex-indusiate; spores bilateral, with winged or folded perispore.

• Discussion

  Lectotype (chosen by Holttum, Gard. Bull. Straits Settlem. III, 5: 264. 1932): Lomariopsis cochinchinensis Fée. Lomariopsis is a pantropical genus of nearly 40 species, with about 18 in the American tropics. It is rare in Oaxaca, found only in lowland Atlantic slope. Plants begin life on the ground and climb trees, where greater light intensity towards canopy seems to trigger the production of fertile fronds. Juvenile fronds are very similar in the various species and are usually not identifiable to species. Lomariopsis is distinct by its hemiepiphytic habit, dimorphic fronds, free veins, and acrostichoid sori. References: Holttum, R. E. 1940. New species of Lomariopsis. Kew Bull. 1939: 613-628; Underwood, L. M. 1906. American ferns. VII. A. The American species of Stenochlaena. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 591-603.