Thelypteris leptocladia (Fée) Proctor

  • 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 leptocladia (Fée) Proctor

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes short-creeping; fronds slightly dimorphic, 40–80 cm long; stipes ca. 15 cm x 1.5–3 mm, stellate-pubescent, hairs ca. 0.1 mm long; blades ca. 30–50 cm long, abruptly narrowed distally, each blade with a subconfluent, subhastate, pinnatifid terminal segment ca. 10 cm long; pinnae ca. 10(–17) pairs, sessile, to 8(–11) x 1.2(–2) cm, lobed or incised ca. 0.2–0.3 the way to the costae, proximal 1–3 pairs slightly deflexed, not or only very slightly narrowed at their bases, shortened, the basalmost pair ca. 1/4–1/3 the length of the longest pair; segments suboblique, ca. 2–3(–4) mm wide, rounded or blunt at tips; veins 4–5(–9) pairs per segment, the proximal pair from adjacent segments united below the sinuses, with an excurrent vein to sinuses; indument abaxially of very short-stalked-stellate or furcate hairs mostly 0.1– 0.2 mm long on rachises, costae, and veins, hairs densest along costae, acicular hairs absent or rare, tissue between veins glabrous or nearly so on both sides; sori inframedial to medial, exindusiate; sporangia setose with usually furcate hairs ca. 0.1 mm long; 2n =72 (Jam).

  • Discussion

    Goniopteris leptocladia Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 11: 60, t. 16, f. 1. 1866. Dryopteris leptocladia (Fe´e) Maxon, Pteridophyt. Porto Rico 476. 1926. Type. Guadeloupe. 1861, L’Herminier s.n. (P?).

    This is known from Mexico from only a single very recent collection (Oct 1997), and represents one of several Antillean species of Thelypteris that are known from Mesoamerica only from the Yucatan Peninsula. Others with this distribution include T. augescens and T. guadalupensis. Extraterritorial measurements are included parenthetically in the description. Thelypteris leptocladia differs from all other Goniopteris in Mexico by the pinnatifid blade apices, lack of hairs on the tissue between veins, exindusiate sori, and furcate hairs on the sporangial capsules. The closest relative in Mexico is probably T. reptans.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in gallery forests; 0–100 m. Mexico; Gr & L Ant.

    Mexico North America| West Indies|