Pleopeltis mexicana (Fée) Mickel & Beitel
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Authority
Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.
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Family
Polypodiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Rhizome creeping, 1.5-2 mm diam.; rhizome scales dimorphic, along rhizome 0.8-1 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, densely comose, center black, margin narrow, pale, denticulate, at base of stipe 1.5-2.5 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, center black to rarely concolorous, margin narrow, pale, denticulate; fronds dimorphic, sterile ones 2-3 times the width and ½-¾ the length of the fertile, distant; stipe ¼-1/3 the frond length, terete, 1-8 cm long; sterile blade simple, lanceolate, 10-20 (-25) cm long, 22-32(-40) mm wide, coriaceous, abaxial costa black the whole length; abaxial scales sparse, round, 0.3-0.5 mm diam., brown-centered with margin pale brown to whitish fimbriate; fertile blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, (12-) 15-25(-30) cm long, 8-20(-25) mm wide; sori oblong, soral scales peltate, 0.3-0.5 mm diam., similar to laminar scales.
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Discussion
Drynaria mexicana Fée, Mém. foug. 8: 97. 1857. Syntypes. Mexico. Veracruz, Galeotti 6321 (P; not 6321, BR, which is the type of Polypodium galeottii Martens, =Ctenitis subincisa); Puebla, Schaffner 179; Popocatépetl, Schajfner 292 (P?). Polypodium lanceolatum Linnaeus var. trichophorum Weatherby, Contr. Gray Herb. 65: 8. 1922. Type. Mexico. Lava fields nr. Eslaba, 8000' [2440 m], Pringle 11797 (GH!, US!). Pleopeltis mexicana is very closely allied to P. macrocarpa and is usually treated as a variety of it. The former is distinct in its brown-centered soral scales and lanceolate, somewhat dimorphic blades.
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Distribution
Epiphytic to epipetric in wet montane forests; Cuicatlán, Ixtlán, Mixe, Putla, Teotitlán, Tlacolula, Tuxtepec, Villa Alta; (100-)900-2000 m. Mexico (Sin, Col, Mich, Mex, SLP, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis); Guat to Salv.
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