Thelypteris reptans (J.F.Gmel.) C.V.Morton

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Thelypteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Thelypteris reptans (J.F.Gmel.) C.V.Morton

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome small, decumbent to suberect; fronds usually numerous, laxly arching or procumbent, subdimorphic, the sterile often rooting at the attenuate tip or along the rachis, (10-)15-50(-90) cm long, the fertile more erect and longer stalked, not rooting at the tip; lamina mostly 10-30 cm long, 3-5(-10) cm wide, pinnate in the lower half or throughout; pinnae stalked ca. 1 mm or sessile, entire to crenate to shallowly lobed ca. one-third their width, linear to oblong or oval, truncate or sometimes subcordate at base (fertile pinnae usually entire and more linear than sterile ones); veins 2-5(-7) pairs, the basal pair usually united with an excurrent branch to the sinus, or veins free; costae, veins, and leaf tissue minutely stellate-pubescent or furcate-hairy on both sides, also with simple hairs; indusia absent or very small, bearing a few long simple hairs and/or forked hairs; sporangia deciduously stellate-hairy; n = 36, 72.

  • Discussion

    Polypodium reptans J. F. Gmelin, Syst. nat. 2(2): 1309. 1791. Dryopteris reptans (J. F. Gmelin) Christensen, Index filie. 288. 1905. Type. Jamaica. Swartz s.n. (S). This is easily distinguished from all other Goniopteris in Oaxaca by the arching fronds that are radicant at or near the blade tip, the narrow fronds often less than 5 cm wide, and the entire or shallowly lobed, oblong, blunt pinnae. It is a member of a predominantly Antillean complex that often grows on calcareous rocks.

  • Distribution

    Usually epipetric on limestone rocks; Cuicatlán; lower elevations. Mexico (Ver, Oax, Chis, Yuc); Guat; US (Fla); WI, Bah, Trin; Ven.

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