Grammitis

  • Authority

    Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Grammitis

  • Description

    Species Description - Very small to moderately-sized epiphytic fems, rarely occurring on rocks or soil. Rhizomes shortcreeping (rarely elongate) to erect, nearly always bearing scales at the apex (rarely devoid of scales, as in G. mollissima). Fronds setose-hairy to nearly or quite glabrous, without scales, mostly not articulate to the rhizome, with or without a distinct stipe, and not dimorphic. Blades simple and entire (rarely forked) to sermlate, lobed, pinnatisect, or 1 -pinnate (rarely 2-pinnate), usually at both ends; texture from thin and membranous to rigid, fleshy, or spongiose; veins of simple blades simple or (more often) forked, free or sometimes casually or regularly reticulate, the ultimate veins of pinnatifid or pinnate blades always free. Sori round, oval, or elongate, or else united laterally to form more or less continuous coenosori; even separate sori sometimes becoming somewhat confluent at maturity; oval or elongate sori or coenosori often more or less sunken in depressions, pits, or grooves; indusium absent; paraphyses usually absent; sporangia with pedicels consisting of one row of cells (except near apex); annulus of 8-16 cells; spores tetrahedral-globose, trilete, the surface more or less prominently papillate with scattered spherical deposits. The spores contain chlorophyll at maturity.

  • Discussion

    Type Species. Grammitis marginella Swartz, of Jamaica.

    A large, pantropical genus of more than 400 species, especially characteristic of cool, humid tropical mountains; about 175 species are found in the American tropics, of which 20 occur in Puerto Rico. Two ofthe latter are believed to be endemic. The generic name is derived from the Greek grammikos, linear, because the type species has linear blades.

    Special Literature. Maxon, W . R. 1914. Notes upon Polypodium dualeand its allies. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 17: 398-406, figs. 8-10 & t. 11, 12; Maxon, W . R. 1916. Polypodium trichomanoides and its American allies. Op, cit. 17: 542-557, /. 32-38; Copeland, E. B. 1952, The American species of Xiphopteris. Amer, Fern J. 42: 41-52, t. 3, 93-110, t. 8-10; Copeland, E. B. 1952, Grammitis. Philipp, J, Sci, 80: 93-271, t. 1-6, figs. 1- 108; Copeland, E. B. 1956, Ctenopteris in America, Phihpp, J, Sci, 84: 381-473, t. 1-16; Morton, C. V. 1966, The validity ofthe generic name Ctenopteris. Amer, Fem J, 56: 65-68; Morton, C. V. 1967. The genus Grammitis in Ecuador, Contr. U.S, Natl, Herb, 38: 85-123; Bishop, L. E. 1977. The American species of Grammitis sect. Grammitis. Amer, Fem J. 67: 101-106; Bishop, L. E. 1978. Revision ofthe genus Cochlidium (Grammitidaceae). Amer, Fem J. 68: 76-94; Tryon, R. M . & A. F. Tryon. 1982, Fems and allied plants, pp. 747-758, 34 figs.