Asplenium cristatum Lam.

Authority

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

Family

Aspleniaceae

Scientific Name

Asplenium cristatum Lam.

Description

Species Description - Roots relatively coarse, fibrous, not proliferous; rhizomes erect; rhizome scales black, clathrate, 3–5 x 0.3–0.7 mm, entire; fronds clumped, mostly 30–55(–70) cm long; stipes 6–10(–15) cm long, ca. (1/8–)1/4–1/2 of frond length, dull gray-brown, glabrous, with narrow wings 0.2–0.8 mm wide at least distally; blades membranaceous, 2-pinnate-pinnatifid to 3-pinnate, (15–)30–50 x 7– 15 cm, lanceolate to deltate, apices long-acuminate, pinnatifid, nonproliferous; rachises brownish, dull, glabrous, with narrow wings 1 mm wide; pinnae 15–30 pairs, spreading, mostly 2.5–8 x 1–2.5 cm, sessile, with proximal pinnules overlapping the rachises, usually with 1 or 2 pairs (infrequently to 9 pairs) greatly reduced and slightly deflexed proximal pinnae, proximal pinnules on larger deeply pinnatifid to 1-pinnate, 9–14 pairs per pinna, ultimate segments elliptic or oblong, 4–6 mm long, cuneate proximally, acute distally, slightly falcate; veins single in the ultimate segments, readily visible on both sides, tips evident adaxially; indument abaxially of whitish to tan, appressed, clavate hairs 0.1–0.3 mm long; sori one per ultimate lobe; indusia 1–3 x 0.3–0.5 mm, margins entire; spores reniform; 2n=72 (Fla), 144 (Trin, Galapagos).

Discussion

Type. Puerto Rico. LeDru s.n. (P-JU 1276!, photo US).

Asplenium cicutarium Sw., Prodr. 130. 1788. Type. Jamaica. Swartz s.n. (S; isotype B-Willd., photo NY!).

Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Me´x (reported by Mickel & Beitel, 1988, but not verified). Mich (reported by Leavenworth, 1946, not verified, likely misidentified). Asplenium cristatum differs from A. rutaceum by having nonproliferous blade apices and dull, non-lustrous stipes and rachises. The opposite pinnae, longer stipes, proximal pinnules that strongly overlap the rachises, more broadly cuneate segments that often have 2- or 3-lobed apices, narrower indusia 0.3–0.5 mm wide, and occurrence at lower elevations distinguish A. cristatum from A. myriophyllum (which see), but the taxa may hybridize, producing hybrids with intermediate morphology and malformed spores, as reported by Smith (1981) from Chiapas. A specimen from Oaxaca (Mickel 7301b, NY) growing with typical A. cristatum resembles this putative hybrid and also shows irregular spore size. Pringle 4072 (MEXU), from San Luis Potosi´, Tamasopo Canyon, appears to be a hybrid involving A. cristatum and perhaps A. semipinnatum, known from the same locality. Spores of this specimen appear to be strongly malformed and most of the sporangia are collapsed. The same number at UC is more typical A. cristatum. Breedlove 22294 (DS, NY), from Chiapas, also seems to be a hybrid, possibly involving A. rutaceum or possibly A. myriophyllum; the sporangia appear abortive. In Florida, the abortive-spored hybrid, A. plenum E. P. St. John ex Small, may have A. cristatum and A. abscissum as parents. Asplenium ocoe¨nse C. Chr. (Kongl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl., ser. 3, 16(2): 53, t. 13, figs. 6–8. 1937; type from Dominican Republic, Ekman H11785, isotype US!), from Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, seems indistinguishable from specimens of A. cristatum with reduced proximal pinnae. Proctor (1989) commented that similar specimens occurred in Mesoamerica and South America, and we agree. Several specimens determined and cited by Mickel and Beitel (1988) as this species are A. uniseriale (e.g., Herna´ndez G. 1182, 1472, 1672, 1905, CHAPA, NY), which differs in having darker, lustrous stipes and rachises and flagelliform apices.

Distribution

Terrestrial or epipetric in dense woods; 200– 1600(–2100) m. USA (Fla); Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Nic, CR, Pan; Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol. Cited also from the Guianas, Galapagos, and Paraguay by Adams (in Davidse et al., 1995).

Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Belize Central America| Honduras Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Belize Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| West Indies| Amazonas Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Amazonas Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Galápagos Islands Ecuador South America| Paraguay South America|