Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome short, compact, to 8 mm diam.; rhizome scales 5-6 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, linear, dark orange, concolorous, dull, subentire with occasional teeth, tortuous; fronds to 50 cm long, subdimorphic; stipe ¼-½ the frond length, terete, atropurpureous, pubescent with 1-2 mm long white hairs; blade elongate-deltate, to 25 cm long, 18 cm wide, bipinnate, gray-green; pinnae peti-olate, articulate, pinnule stalk color dark, stopping at base of pinnule, apex acute to rounded, upper pinnae entire, lower one pinnate, slightly pubescent along lower costae with 1-2 mm long hairs, one to several pairs of pinnules, ultimate segments linear, entire, subcoriaceous, ultimate pinnule on basal pinnae 30-40 mm long, 4 mm wide; fertile margin recurved, thin at edge, indusium 0.1 mm with entire margin, sori elongate along ends of the veins about 2 mm wide; spores tan.

  • Discussion

    Pteris atropurpurea Linnaeus, Sp. pl. 2: 1076. 1753. Allosorus atropurpureas (Linnaeus) Kunze ex Presl, Tent, pterid. 153. 1836. Platyloma atropurpurea (Linnaeus) J. Smith, J. Bot. (Hooker) 4: 160. 1841. Notholaena atropurpurea (Linnaeus) Keyserling, Polyp. herb, bunge. 30. 1873. Type. United States. Virginia, Kalm s.n. (LINN 1246.18). [A. Tryon (1957) cited Rappahanock River, Clayton 682 (BM) as holotype.] For additional synonyms see A. Tryon (1957). Pellaea atropurpurea is distinct by its dark axes, pinnate pinnae and concolorous rhizome scales.

  • Distribution

    Limestone roadbank; Nochixtlán, Sola de Vega; 1600-1900 m. Mexico (Son, Chih, Coah, NL, Tam, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis); e, s & sw US, Canada; Guat.

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