Trichomanes rigidum Sw.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Hymenophyllaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Trichomanes rigidum Sw.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome stout, 5-7 mm diam., erect or ascending, to 4 cm long; rhizome hairs dark brown, stiff, lustrous, 1-1.5 mm long; roots present; fronds 20-35 cm long, 10-15 cm wide, clumped; stipe ½ the frond length, stout, 0.8-1.0 mm diam., brown, non-alate, glabrous except with hairs at base like rhizome hairs; blade tripinnate to quad-ripinnate, subdeltate or broadly ovate, dark green; rachis glabrous except for stubby blackish hairs; pinnae 12-20 pairs, petiolulate, ascending or spreading, with occasional stubby blackish hairs, ultimate segments linear, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, margin entire; veins free, false veins lacking; sori stalked with narrow wings; involucre 1.0-1.2 mm long, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, mouth not flared, entire, slightly bilabiate, concolorous.

  • Discussion

    Selenodesmium rigidum (Swartz) Copeland, Philipp. J. Sci. 67: 81. 1938. Type. Jamaica. Swartz s.n. (S?). One of the few terrestrial species of Oaxacan Trichomanes, T. rigidum is distinct by its erect rhizome, coarse, non-alate stipe and finely dissected blade.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in wet montane forests of Atlantic slope; Choapan, Ixtlán, Juchitán, Tehuantepec, Tuxtepec, Villa Alta; 300-1650 m. Mexico (Oax, Chis); Guat to Pan; WI, Trin; Col & Ven, s to Braz & Bol; Old World tropics.

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