Marsilea polycarpa Hook. & Grev.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Marsileaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Marsilea polycarpa Hook. & Grev.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome wide-creeping, pubescent near nodes and toward apex, 0.5-1.7 mm thick, branched, forming extensive vegetative colonies. Fronds ascending to erect, 5-25 cm long, solitary; stipes mostly 0.7-1 mm thick, grooved, sparsely pubescent; segments broadly obovate-cuneate or rounded obdeltate, 0.5-3.5 cm broad at the broadly rounded apex, slightly concave on the sides, entire, light green, at first lightly sericeous; veinlets moderately evident, close, anastomosing; tissue membranous but semiopaque. Sporocarps numerous, subglobose, not toothed, at first densely and loosely pubescent, the hairs whitish, yellowish, or rusty, deciduous. Sori 6-10 in each sporocarp.

  • Discussion

    Syntypes. C. S. Parker s.n., and Dr. William Hancock s.n., both from Demerara (=Guyana) (K, not seen).

    Syn. Marsilea brasiliensis Martius, Icon. pl. crypt. 122, t. 73, fig. 2. 1834. (Type. Martius, from near Joazeiro, Prov. Bahia, Brazil, not seen.)

    Zalusianskya polycarpa (Hooker & Greville) Kuntze, Revis. gen. pl. 2: 823. 1891.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Greater Antilles and continental tropical America from Mexico to Brazil.

    Mexico North America| Central America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Venezuela South America| Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America|