Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (Willd.) A.Gray

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Osmundaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (Willd.) A.Gray

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes massive, compact, horizontal to suberect, apices with long hairs; fronds 35–180 cm long, hemidimorphic, the fertile part occupying the distal 1/4–1/3 of the blades and greatly constricted (lacking green laminar tissue); stipes 1/3–1/2 the frond length, glabrous, stramineous to reddish brown, darker at base; blades bipinnate, 20–35 cm wide, elliptic, broadly lanceolate; pinnae with a conform terminal pinnule, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, glabrous at maturity; pinnules distant, very shortly petiolulate (less than 1 mm) to sessile at blade tip, narrowly elliptic, bases rounded to subcordate, entire to subcrenulate, apices obtuse to acute, glabrous at maturity; veins 2-forked; 2n = 44 (Chis, CR).

  • Discussion

    Osmunda spectabilis Willd., Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 5(1): 98. 1810. Type. U.S.A. Pennsylvania: Muhlenberg s.n. (B-Willd. 19504!). Osmunda mexicana Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 9: 43. 1857. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Galeotti 6388 (P?; isotypes BR!-2 sheets). Osmunda palmeri A. E. Bobrov, Novosti Sist.Vyssh. Rast. 1968: 8. Type. Mexico. Jalisco: Ri´o Blanco, Palmer 660 (LE!; isotypes GH!, K!, UC!, US!).

    Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Ags (Siqueiros 2828, and one other collection, HUAA, cited by Siqueiros-Delgado & Gonza´lez-Adame, 2004, but not verified). Qro (Ameneyro s.n.,ENCB, cited by Di´az-Barriga & Palacios Rios, 1992, but not verified). This variety seems to occur throughout the New World. Fronds and fertile panicles are more open, the stipes and rachises less stout, and the blades less coriaceous than var. regalis, which was recently typified by Jonsell and Jarvis (in Jarvis et al., 1993) on the basis of Herb. Burser vol. 20: 26 (UPS, microfiche UC!). New World material looks distinct enough to be treated as a different species from O. regalis sensu stricto (Old World), but more study of both herbarium and living material is needed to properly delimit these taxa. In Mexico, O. regalis is far more common and widespread than O. cinnamomea, but there are nearly as many collections from Chiapas (about 35) as from all remaining states.

  • Distribution

    Swampy areas in the open or light woods, pineoak- Liquidambar forests, oak and Magnolia forests, near barranca; (250–)900–1800(–2700) m. Canada, e USA; Mexico; Guat, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR; Berm, Bah, Cuba, Jam, Hisp; Col, Ven, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol, Parag, Arg, Uru. Var. regalis occurs in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

    Guatemala Central America| Canada North America| Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Bermuda South America| Jamaica South America| West Indies| Paraguay South America| Peru South America|