Pteris longifolia L.

  • 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

    Pteris longifolia L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome scales dimorphic, scales 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.8 mm wide, grading to hairs 2 mm long, concolorous, yellow to light brown; fronds 20-100 cm long, clumped; stipe less than ½ the frond length, stramineous with pale scales and hairs; blade once-pinnate, not pedate, tapering to base, chartaceous to coriaceous; pinnae auriculate, entire to crenulate, upper surface glabrous or with scattered hairs on midrib, lower surface with dense 0.8-1.0 mm long, clear hairs on veins; awns lacking; veins free; indusium 0.5-0.8 mm wide, fimbriate; sporangia mixed with 0.3 mm long paraphyses; spores cream to tan.

  • Discussion

    Lectotype (chosen by Proctor, FI. L. Antill. 2: 141. 1977). Plumier, Descr. pl. Amér., t. 18. 1693 (Traité foug. Amér., t. 69. 1705), illustrating a plant from Haiti, nr. Port de Paix. LINN 1246.2 was added to LINN after 1755 (Jackson, 1912). This once-pinnate, free-veined, awnless species is abundantly covered with scales and hairs on the stipe and rachis and has a deeply fimbriate indusium. It is closely related to the Old World P. vittata Linnaeus, which has escaped from cultivation in many parts of the New World (Morton, Amer. Fern J. 47: 7-14. 1957), but which has not been found in Mexico or Central America (A. R. Smith, 1981; Stolze, 1981).

  • Distribution

    Rocky roadbanks in mesic to dry areas; Cuicatlán, Juquila, Mixe, Pochutla, Putla, Sola de Vega, Teotitlán, Tuxtepec, Zimatlán; 501900 m. Mexico (Mich, Gro, Mex, SLP, Hgo, Ver, Oax, Chis, Tab); US (Fla); Guat, Bel; WI, Trin.

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