Trichomanes radicans Sw.

  • Authority

    Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.

  • Family

    Hymenophyllaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Trichomanes radicans Sw.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizome wide-creeping, 1-2.5 mm in diam., densely clothed with small, blackish, hairlike rhizoids which adhere to the substrate. Fronds distant, arching or spreading, mostly 15-40 cm long; stipes relatively short, 0.5-7 cm long, narrowly green-winged distally, sparsely clothed with deciduous, dark brown, simple hairs. Blades lanceoblong to narrowly or broadly ovate, mostly 14-39 cm long, 5-20 cm broad, 3- to 4-pinnatisect, acuminate at apex, more or less narrowed at base; rhachis and all divisions narrowly winged; pinnae numerous, close or overlapping, inequilateral at the short-stalked base, acuminate at apex; ultimate divisions very numerous, close, linear or oblong-linear, the tips blunt, truncate, or forked. Sori numerous, subaxillary, stalked or sessile, directed downward at an angle from plane of blade; involucres tubular or narrowly funnelform, marginate or winged on the sides, slightly bilobed at apex.

  • Discussion

    Type. Swartz, from Jamaica without exact locality (S, photo U S ; probable isotype SBT).

    Syn. Trichomanes scandens of Hedwig, Fil. gen. sp., t. 6. 1799, not Linnaeus, 1753. (Swartz cited Hedwig's plate of'T. scandens" as illustrating his new species T. radicans.)

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Probably pantropical, but extremely variable. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Cordillera Central and outlying areas. Recorded from Adjuntas, Jayuya, Las Marias, and Orocovis. Habitat. Mossy rocks, wet ledges, cliffs, and trunks of palm trees at middle to high elevations (250-)950-1120 m), locally frequent. This species ought to be present in the Sierra de Cayey and Sierra de Luquillo, but no specimens from these areas have been seen during the present study.