Pellaea
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Authority
Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.
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Family
Pteridaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Genus Description - Terrestrial; rhizomes compact to long-creeping; rhizome scales linear, usually toothed, concolorous or bicolorous; fronds medium-sized, clumped to distant; blades 1–3-pinnate, naked to pubescent; veins free (rarely anastomosing); sori marginal or rarely elongate along the veins, the blade margins recurved to protect the sporangia; spores tetrahedral-globose, yellow to brown, smooth or rugose; x =29.
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Discussion
Lectotype (first chosen by Christensen, Index Filic. XXXIX. 1906): Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link [= Pteris atropurpurea L.]. (See Pic. Serm., Webbia 9: 428. 1953.)
Pellaea is a genus of about 35 species of temperate and subtropical dry, rocky regions. There is a major problem with the generic circumscription, and there has been confusion in the past, with many things being put into Pellaea that belong elsewhere. Pellaea allosuroides (Mett.) Hieron. is a Cheilanthes, P. rigida (Sw.) Hook. a Cheiloplecton, and P. intramarginalis (Kaulf. ex Link) J. Sm. a Mildella. Pellaea skinneri Hook., P. lozanoi Maxon, and P. seemannii Hook. have usually been placed here, but these species are more closely related to Cheilanthes. It is difficult to circumscribe Pellaea precisely. In some respects Pellaea resembles Cheilanthes and Argyrochosma, but generally has pale frond axes, or if dark, then with glabrous blades. Molecular data (Gastony & Rollo, 1995, 1998) suggest that Pellaea is sister to Astrolepis and Argyrochosma).