Thelypteris dentata (Forssk.) E.P.St.John

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Thelypteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Thelypteris dentata (Forssk.) E.P.St.John

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping; fronds somewhat dimorphic, the sterile shorter and with fewer, wider pinnae than the fertile; stipes darkened, often purplish, 15–45 cm x 3–5 mm, paleate at bases; blades herbaceous or chartaceous, (24–)40–92 cm long, tapering gradually toward the pinnatifid apices; pinnae 7–17 x 1.1–2.7 cm, incised 0.5–0.8 the way to costae, proximal (1–)2–6 pairs reduced, auriculate at the acroscopic bases, auricles entire or crenate; segments mostly 3–4(–5) mm wide, rounded at tips; veins 6–10 pairs per segment, the proximal pair from adjacent segments united at an obtuse angle below sinuses with an excurrent veinlet 2–4 mm long to sinuses; indument abaxially of dense, uniformly short hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long on costae, costules, and tissue between veins, occasionally with scattered longer hairs, adaxially with hairs longer and stouter except on tissue between veins, glands usually absent on blades; sori medial, with indusia uniformly pubescent, hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long; 2n = 144 (Fla, Jam, Hisp, Trin; OW).

  • Discussion

    Polypodium dentatum Forssk., Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. 185. 1775. Dryopteris dentata (Forssk.) C. Chr., Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., Naturvidensk. Math. Afd., ser. 8, 6: 24. 1920. Cyclosorus dentatus (Forssk.) Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. 8: 206. 1938. Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy, Brit. Fern Gaz. 10: 338. 1973. Type. Yemen. Forsska°l s.n. (C!).

    Aspidium molle Sw., J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 34. 1801. Dryopteris mollis (Sw.) Hieron., Hedwigia 46: 348. 1907. Type. Cultivated specimen (W!). More complete synonymy given in Smith (1971, 1983).

    Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Tam (reported by Sharp, 1954, but the specimen on which this is based is no doubt T. hispidula, which see). Thelypteris dentata differs from most other members of subg. Cyclosorus in Mexico by the veins united below the sinuses. From T. hispidula, its closest relative, it differs by the uniformly short hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long on the costae abaxially (hairs 0.3–0.8 mm long and of variable length in T. hispidula), by the short-creeping rhizomes, and by the usually darkened purplish brown stipes and rachises. This species is native to the Old World but introduced and widely naturalized in the New World. It is becoming one of the most common ferns in many areas of the Neotropics. The first collection from Mexico (Hellwig 495, NY) was in 1967, in Oaxaca; Garci´a S. 66, ENCB, was collected in 1968, in Veracruz

  • Distribution

    Along trails, roadsides, and banks, and in cutover woods, in shade or partial sun; 50–1700 m. Se USA; Mexico; Guat, Bel (Rivero et al. 2539, UC), Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Bah, Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Ec, Peru, Braz, Parag, n Arg; tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Pacific Islands.

    Asia| Africa| Argentina South America| Paraguay South America| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| West Indies| Bahamas South America| Panama Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Nicaragua Central America| El Salvador Central America| Honduras Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America| México Mexico North America|