Pteris quadriaurita Retz.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pteris quadriaurita Retz.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizome erect or suberect; rhizome scales 3–4 x 0.5 mm, tricolorous, central portion lustrous, bases golden brown, tips dark brown, outer portion brown, erose; fronds 50–200 cm long; stipes ca. 1/2 the frond length, stramineous, glabrous; blades pinnatepinnatifid to bipinnate, sinuses symmetrical, the sinus bases often with one to several teeth, either on adaxial or abaxial surfaces or both; ultimate segments entire, obtuse, adaxial surfaces glabrous, abaxial surfaces with short hairs 0.1 mm long; rachis awns reduced to 1–2 papillae, 0.1 mm long, pinna awns 0.5–5 mm long; veins free, running to margins; indusia 0.3mmwide, entire, paraphyses present; spores dark brown, of varying sizes; 2n=58 (Ceylon, Jam), 116 (SLP, Jam), n=2n=87 (Jam, Nepal).

  • Discussion

    Type. Sri Lanka. Ko¨nig s.n. (LD).

    Pteris plumula Desv., Me´m. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 297. 1827. Type. “Antilles.” s. coll. s.n. (P-Desv., photo GH). Pteris nemoralis Willd. var. major M. Martens & Galeotti, Me´m. Foug.

    Mexique 53. 1842. Type. Mexico. [Veracruz:] Zacuapan, Galeotti 6291 (BR!-6 sheets).

    Litobrochia galeottii Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 8: 75. 1857. Pteris galeottii (Fe´e) Hook., Sp. Fil. 2: 204. 1858. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: “Teotalingo,” Galeotti 6485 (P).

    This is the most common species with pinnate-pinnatifid blades, exaggerated basiscopic pinnules, and free veins. It resembles Pteris biaurita and P. pungens, which see for further discussion. The spores of all the specimens exhibit great heterogeneity, with some spores two to three times larger than others. Pringle 3971 from San Luis Potosi´ and Breedlove 22175, 32167, 33060, 33157 (DS), and 56562 (CAS) from Chiapas, have scaly buds on the adaxial side of the rachises, but in all other respects resemble nonproliferous specimens.

  • Distribution

    Wet lower montane forests, pine-oak- Liquidambar forests, coffee plantations; 450–1400 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Bol, n Arg; Africa, Asia.

    Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Canal Zone Panamá Central America| West Indies| Amazonas Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Bolivia South America| Argentina South America| Africa| Asia|