Asplenium delitescens (Maxon) L.D.Gómez

  • 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 delitescens (Maxon) L.D.Gómez

  • Description

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    Species Description - Roots coarse, fibrous, not proliferous; rhizomes short- to longcreeping; rhizome scales clathrate, uniseriate at tips, 0.5–2 x 0.1– 0.3 mm, entire; fronds 1–3 mm apart, 32–56 cm long; stipes stramineous to brown, dull, 16–26 cm x 2–3 mm, 2/5–1/2 of frond length, bases swollen to ca. 3–4 mm, glabrous or with occasional scales 0.5–1.5 x 0.1–0.2 mm long, adaxially with green wings 0.1–0.3 mm wide; blades chartaceous, broadly deltate, 1-pinnate, 20–32 x 13–26 cm, apices pinnatifid, not proliferous; rachises green, with wings ca. 0.1–0.2 mm wide, glabrous or with occasional filiform scales; pinnae lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 7–9 pairs per blade, (3.5–)7–14 x 0.8–2 cm, stalked to ca. 1.5 mm, subequilateral to inequilateral, excavate basiscopically, acroscopic bases parallel to rachises and slightly auriculate, apices acuminate, margins serrate; veins visible on both sides of blades, 2–3- forked, vein tips visible adaxially; indument abaxially of redbrown appressed clavate hairs 0.1 mm long on and between veins; sori 9–22 pairs per pinna, occasionally diplazioid especially on terminal segments; indusia mostly 5–15 x 0.3–0.4 mm, margins suberose; spores reniform, 64 per sporangium (Murakami& Moran, 1993).

  • Discussion

    Diplazium delitescens Maxon, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 10: 497, t. 56, f. 1. 1908. Type. Cuba. Oriente: Vicinity of San Lui´s, Pollard & Palmer 348 (US!; isotypes F, MO, NY!).

    Smith (1977) discussed the placement of this and other species in Asplenium rather than in Diplazium, where traditionally they have been treated. Murakami and Moran (1993) provided a revision of this and related species (A. hoffmannii, A. laetum, and A. riparium in Mexico; Asplenium sect. Hymenasplenium) for tropical America. Available evidence suggests that Hymenasplenium forms the sister group for all other species in Asplenium and probably also all the segregate genera of Aspleniaceae, in the sense that this family is circumscribed by nearly all recent workers (Schneider et al., ms.). Asplenium delitescens is distinct from A. abscissum in having creeping dorsiventral rhizomes, non-alate rachises, very broad, truncate marginal pinna serrations, more sori per pinna (10–15 pairs), and longer (5–15 mm) indusia. It is suspected of hybridization with A. laetum in Belize (Schipp 49, MO) and Costa Rica (Go´mez 18620, MO) (Murakami & Moran, 1993).

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial or epipetric in limestone regions of Atlantic lowlands; 50–800 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Nic, CR, Pan; Cuba; Col, Ven, Ec, Peru, n Braz. Also reported from French Guiana (Boggan et al., 1997).

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