Pteridium caudatum (L.) Maxon

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dennstaedtiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pteridium caudatum (L.) Maxon

  • Description

    Species Description - Fronds 1.5–4 m long; blades lacking free lobes between ultimate segments; rachises glabrous to slightly pubescent; penultimate axes abaxially almost glabrous with hairs rare, curled, clear, with brown septa, others scattered, minute, less than 0.1 mm long, brown, clavate, adaxially with hairs rare, curled, clear, with brown septa only in medial grooves; costae flattened to slightly sulcate abaxially; laminar surfaces abaxially glabrous or with hairs scattered, 0.5 mm long, white, on the veins only, adaxially glabrous except for scattered, marginal, white hairs 0.5 mm long,and minute, glandular, brown hairs less than 0.1 mm long, especially near segment tips; false indusia 0.3–0.5 mm wide with margins erose, eciliate; 2n=104 (Galapagos), 208 (see below).

  • Discussion

    Pteris caudata L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1075. 1753. Pteris aquilina L. var. caudata (L.) Link, Hort. Berol. 2: 33. 1833. Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn var. caudatum (L.) Sadeb., Jahrb. Hamburg Wiss. Anst. 14(Beih. 3): 5. 1896. Pteridium aquilinum subsp. caudatum (L.) Bonap., Notes Pterid. 1: 62. 1915. Lectotype (chosen by R. Tryon, 1941: 55). Probably a plant from West Indies, s. coll. s.n. (LINN 1246.15).

    Pteris aquilina L. var. mexicana Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 7: 114. 1857. Syntypes. Mexico. [Veracruz:] Orizaba, Schaffner 136, 468; Huatusco, Schaffner 139 (P?, not found).

    Pteris caudata L. var. mexicana Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 9: 8. 1857, nom. nud. Based on Mexico. [Veracruz:] Huatusco, Schaffner 140, Jalapa, Galeotti 6401 (BR!-3 sheets; specimen at P! is P. arachnoideum). For additional synonymy, see R. Tryon (1941).

    Pteridium caudatum is distinguished by the lack of free lobes between ultimate segments, axes generally glabrous or only sparsely hairy, and indusia narrow, erose, and non-ciliate. This species varies from densely hairy to less commonly subglabrous abaxially. Glabrous or subglabrous specimens occur throughout the species’ range in Mexico. Thomson (2000) and Thomson and Alonso-Amelot (2002) reported that P. caudatum throughout Central and South America is a tetraploid, based on DNA studies and relative cell sizes of stomates and indusia. One parent is thought to be P. arachnoideum and the other P. aquilinum var. pubescens, P. aquilinum var. pseudocaudatum, or some other taxon sharing genomic elements with those two varieties.

  • Distribution

    Open, disturbed areas; 0–2500 m. USA (Fla); Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Berm, Bah, Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Galapagos, Peru.

    Mexico North America| Peru South America| Galápagos Islands Ecuador South America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| French Guiana French Guiana South America| Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| West Indies| Bahamas South America| Bermuda South America| Panama Central America| Costa Rica South America| Nicaragua Central America| El Salvador Central America| Honduras Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America|