Phanerophlebia nobilis (Schltdl. & Cham.) C.Presl

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dryopteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Phanerophlebia nobilis (Schltdl. & Cham.) C.Presl

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes suberect to erect, usually unbranched; rhizome scales concolorous, brown, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 3.5–10 x 1–3 (–4) mm, margins denticulate to ciliate; fronds (15–)40–100 cm long; stipes 1/3–1/2 the frond length, stramineous, densely scaly with appressed to spreading scales similar to those of rhizomes, scales brown to tan, often caducous or abraded; blades ovate to ovate-lanceolate, (10–)20–55 cm long; rachises with sparse, hairlike, twisted, caducous scales; buds absent from axils of distal pinnae; pinnae mostly 6–15 lateral pairs, linear-lanceolate, somewhat falcate, (3–)6–13(–20) x (1–)1.5–3 cm, bases rounded to broadly cuneate, apices attenuate, lowermost pinnae often inequilateral excavate basiscopically, usually without auricles acroscopically, margins spinulose-serrate throughout; veins free or only casually anastomosing near pinna margins, 1–3-branched; sori in 2–3(–4) series between costae and pinna margins, inner row 2–3 mm from costa, outer row 1–3 mm from margin; indusia tan, caducous, 0.6–1.3 mm diam., flat or concave, not umbonate; 2n =82 (Méx, Oax).

  • Discussion

    Aspidium nobile Schltdl. & Cham., Linnaea 5: 610. 1830. Cyrtomium nobilis (Schltdl. & Cham.) T. Moore, Index Fil. lxxxiii. 1857. Type. Mexico. Veracruz: “Hacienda de la Laguna,” Schiede [760] (B!).

    Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Mor (Camacho G. 10- 58, ENCB, cited by Yatskievych, 1996, but not verified). Yatskievych et al. (1988) treated P. remotispora as a variety of P. nobilis. He later (1992, 1996) cited apparently fertile hybrids between the two varieties, Arse`ne 5961 (GH!, MO, US), from Michoaca´n, and Fisher s.n. (MO!), from Veracruz. The former appears to us to be typical P. nobilis (var. nobilis of Yatskievych, 1996); the latter has well formed spores and appears to be more or less typical of P. remotispora (P. nobilis var. remotispora of Yatskievych (1996)). These hybrids were said to have intermediate morphology and casually anastomosing veins. However, for nearly the entire range of these two taxa, there is little or no difficulty in distinguishing them. In fact, the two species seem to be more easily distinguished than does P. gastonyi from P. juglandifolia, both of which were treated as species by Yatskievych. The free veins, higher elevation, generally narrower pinnae, and soral position all serve to distinguish P. remotispora from P. nobilis. Seldom, if ever, do they grow together, a fact acknowledged by Yatskievych (1996). Matuda 1365 (US), from Maltrata, Edo. Veracruz, is very atypical in having only 3 pairs of lateral pinnae and more cordate proximal pinnae. Maxon had earlier determined it as P. pumila. Yatskievych identified it as P. nobilis, and we tentatively do so also. Hinton 403, cited above as P. nobilis, was determined by Yatskievych (1996) as P. nobilis var. remotispora. Matuda 4688, from Chiapas, was determined by Smith (1981) as a very small, possibly precociously fertile specimen of P. macrosora, but Yatskievych believed it to be P. nobilis; we now concur

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in montane forests; (1050–)1500– 2800(–3200) m. Mexico.

    Mexico North America|