Pteris tripartita Sw.

  • 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 tripartita Sw.

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes erect, massive; rhizome scales bicolorous; fronds 0.3–2.5 m; stipes ca. 2/3 the frond length, glabrous, unarmed, stramineous to brown; blades to 50 cm wide, tripartite, pinnatepinnatifid above the basal pinna pair, basal pinnae pinnatifid beyond the first 1–2 basiscopic pinnules, these exaggerated and pinnatifid; suprabasal pinnae 13–33 pairs, 1–5 cm wide, pinnatisect, the bases truncate, sessile; ultimate segments (2–)4–5 mm wide in the middle, erect or slightly falcate, the apices obtuse to acute, entire or crenulate, or serrulate in sterile segments, chartaceous, subglabrous with sparse minute surface hairs 0.1–0.3 mm; awns often reduced to papillae; veins netted, with one areole between adjacent costules, free near margins; sori continuous along the margins, interrupted at segment apices; indusia entire, paraphyses present; spores reddish brown; 2n=116 (CR, Trin), 2n=232 (Malaya, Java, N. Guinea, Australia).

  • Discussion

    Litobrochia tripartita (Sw.) C. Presl, Suppl. Tent. Pterid. 150. 1836. Type. Java. Thunberg s.n. (UPS-Thunb.-24968, 24969).

    This rare species is distinct by its single areole between costules, truncate pinna bases, and the basal segments of the pinnae being auriculate acroscopically, occasionally also basiscopically. The nearest records of this species are from Costa Rica and Jamaica.

  • Distribution

    Riverbanks, montane forests; 180 m. Mexico; CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Bol; Old World tropics.

    Bolivia South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Venezuela South America| West Indies| Panama Central America| México Mexico North America|