Cheilanthes tomentosa Link

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cheilanthes tomentosa Link

  • Description

    Species Description - Rhizomes compact, horizontal, 2–3 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear-lanceolate, mostly bicolorous, with dark brown to black center and narrow orange-tan margins, lustrous, 3–4 mm long, entire; fronds to 45 cm long, clumped; stipes ca. 1/3 the frond length, castaneous, terete, with orange-tan jointed hairs and filiform scales ca. 1 mm long; blades narrowly lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 3–4-pinnate, 1.5–8 cm wide; rachises terete, with scattered linear scales and some jointed hairs; pinnae 13–25 pairs, equilateral; segments oval to oblong, rounded, pouch-like, the largest 1–2 mm diam.; adaxial surfaces tomentose with fine curved hairs; abaxial surfaces with costal scales linear, truncate at base, inconspicuous, loosely imbricate, not concealing segments, entire, not ciliate; segments abaxially densely tomentose; laminar margins recurved, slightly differentiated as false indusia, not decurrent; sporangia 32-spored; spores brown. n =2n =90, apogamous (NL, Tam, USA).

  • Discussion

    Myriopteris tomentosa (Link) J. Sm., Hist. Fil. 280. 1875. Type. Cultivated at Berlin (B, Tryon photo NY!, frag. of B at US!; isotype PH!).P>

    Cheilanthes tomentosa is closely related to C. eatonii, but differs by having narrower (filiform), inconspicuous costal scales (these more evident in C. eatonii).