Polypodium plesiosorum Kunze

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Polypodium plesiosorum Kunze

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome long-creeping, 3-5 mm diam.; rhizome scales brown, ovate-lanceolate, tip often broken off, 3-5 mm long, tightly appressed, somewhat deciduous partially exposing green rhizome surface; fronds (10-) 15-65 cm long; stipe ca. ½ the frond length, stramineous to light brown, glabrous; rachis densely hairy (0.1-0.3 mm long); blade (narrowly oblong to) ovate-lanceolate, pinnatisect; pinnae 10-29 pairs, linear-deltate, 5-12 mm wide, equally dilated to slightly more surcurrent at base, apex acuminate to acute; lower surface with rare hairs (0.1-0.3 mm long) on midrib only to densely hairy (0.1-0.3 mm) on midrib and veins only; upper surface glabrous except for dense 0.1-0.3 mm long hairs on midrib; margin shallowly serrulate, glabrous; veins netted (goniophlebioid); sori round, medial, in one row each side of costa; sporangia glabrous.

  • Discussion

    Goniophlebium plesiosorum (Kunze) Fée, Mém. foug. 9: 24. 1857. Syntypes. Mexico. Herb. Roemer, Leibold 90 and 91 p.p. [isosyntype: Leibold No. 90 (P! — 2 sheets)]. Polypodium conjluens Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 191 (seors. 39). 1849, nom. illeg., non R. Brown, 1810. Syntypes. Mexico. Puebla: Chinautla, Liebmann [PI. Mex. 2716, FI. Mex. 695 and 696] (C! photos UC!, US!; isosyntypes BM!, K!). Lectotype (chosen by A. R. Smith, 1981: 189): FI. Mex. 696. Goniophlebium molestum Fée, Mém. foug. 8:92.1857. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Nr. Huatusco, Córdoba and Orizaba, Schaffner 180 (presumably P). Goniophlebium anisomeron Fée, Mém. foug. 8: 93. 1857. Polypodium anisomeron (Fée) Fournier, Mexic. pl. 1: 81. 1872. Syntypes. Mexico. [Veracruz:] Orizaba, Schajfner 182 (P!; isosyntype K!), 458 (presumably P, not found). Polypodium anisomeron var. elongatum Fournier, Mexic. pl. 1: 81. 1872. Syntypes. Mexico. Veracruz: Ixhuatlancillo, Bourgeau 3061 (P), Orizaba, Schajfner s.n. (presumably P). Polypodium anisomeron var. pectinatum Fournier, Mexic. pl. 1: 81. 1872. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: Córdoba valley, Bourgeau 1943 (P!; isotypes B!, BR, photo US!). Polypodium feei Fournier, Mexic. pi. 1: 82. 1872, nom. illeg., non (Bory) Mettenius, 1857. Syntypes. Mexico. Galeotti 6412 (P!); Orizaba, Botteri & Sumichrast 1422 (MPU). Polypodium isomeron Fournier, Mexic. pi. 1: 80. 1872. Type. Mexico. “Pr. Teguitlán,” Hahn s.n. (P!). Polypodium pachyrhizon Christ, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 1: 231. 1910. Syntypes. Mexico. Michoacán: Barranca NW of Punguato, Arsène 2588, 2192 (P!). Lectotype (chosen by A. R. Smith, 1981: 190). Arsène 2588 Polypodium rossii Christ ex H. Ross, Mem. Acad. Nac. Ci. “Antonio Alzate” 32: 191. 1912. Type. Mexico. Morelos: Cuernavaca, Santa María, Ross Fl. Mex. 281 (M, photo BM!). Goniophlebium stramineum Underwood ex Conzatti, Fl. tax. mex. 1: 105. 1939, nom. nud. Polypodium plesiosorum is similar to P. rhodopleuron, but that species has a glabrous rachis and pinnae, and a reddish stipe and veins. The abaxial surface in P. plesiosorum varies greatly from only having rare hairs to being densely hairy.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in wet montane forests; Centro, Cuicatlán, Ixtlán, Mixe, Teotitlán, Tlaxiaco, Tuxtepec; 900-2700 m. Mexico (Nay, Jal, Mich, Gro, Mor, Mex, NL, SLP, Tam, Hgo, Pue, Ver, Oax, Chis); Guat to Pan; Ven.

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