Oleandra articulata (Sw.) C.Presl

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Oleandraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Oleandra articulata (Sw.) C.Presl

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes long-creeping to scandent, brownish, not pruinose; rhizome scales orange- to red-brown, persistent, 4–6 mm long, spreading (giving the rhizomes a bristly appearance), linearlanceolate, attenuate, margin minutely glandular-ciliate; fronds distant, borne several cm apart; phyllopodia 5–10(–30) mm long, lacking scales; stipes 5–22 cm long; blades elliptic, 15–35 x 3–5 cm, glabrous, lustrous, firm-herbaceous, bases broadly to narrowly cuneate, apices acuminate to caudate; sori in several, irregular rows, often rather close to the midrib to about halfway to margin; indusia 0.5–1 mm diam., glabrous; 2n =82 (Jam, PR, Trin).

  • Discussion

    Aspidium articulatum Sw., J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 30. 1801 [1802]. Lectotype (chosen by Maxon, 1914: 394). Plumier, Traite´ Foug. Ame´r., pl. 136. 1705, illustrating a plant from Martinique. For discussion, see Joncheere, Taxon 18: 538-541. 1969. Aspidium nodosum Willd., Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 5(1): 211. 1810, hom. illeg. superfl. Oleandra nodosa (Willd.) C. Presl, Suppl. Tent. Pterid. 78. 1836. Type. Based on same plate as Aspidium articulatum Sw. Name incorrectly applied to this species by Morton (Amer. Fern J. 58: 105-107. 1968).

    Oleandra lehmannii Maxon (which includes O. guatemalensis Maxon) occurs as far north as Guatemala, and should be looked for in Chiapas. It can be distinguished by its appressed, bicolorous rhizome scales and sori in one (rarely two) rows on either side and near the midrib. Oleandra bradei Christ of Costa Rica, which has creeping rhizomes with spreading scales and glabrous blades, has deciduous rhizome scales and pruinose rhizomes.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic on tree trunks, logs, or epipetric in crevices of sandstone bluffs, seasonal evergreen forests; 350– 900 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Nic, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol.

    Mexico North America| Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| West Indies| Panama Central America| Costa Rica South America| Nicaragua Central America| Honduras Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America|