Asplenium tuerckheimii Maxon

  • 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 tuerckheimii Maxon

  • Description

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    Species Description - Roots relatively coarse, fibrous, not proliferous; rhizomes erect or suberect; rhizome scales dark brown to blackish, clathrate, lumina occluded, 2–4 x 0.5–1 mm, entire; fronds clumped, relatively few (2–4), 20–40 cm long; stipes stramineous to green, dull, 10–18 cm x 1–2 mm, 1/2–2/3 of frond length, with scattered, clavate hairs 0.1–0.3 mm long, adaxially with narrow wings alongside groove; blades herbaceous, 8–20 x 7–12 cm, 1-pinnate, ovate, each blade with a conform terminal pinna, not proliferous; rachises greenish to tan, dull, glabrous, adaxially with green wings 0.2–0.3 mm wide; pinnae lanceolate, ascending, often falcate, 3–6 lateral pairs, mostly 8–15 x 1–2 cm, sessile or stalked 0–2 mm, equilateral, bases cuneate, acroscopically exauriculate,margins shallowly and simply crenate, crenations often more than 5 mm broad, apices acuminate to long-attenuate; veins 2-forked, faintly visible on both sides, tips prominent and expanded adaxially; indument of tan appressed, clavate hairs 0.1– 0.2 mm long; sori 7–15 pairs per pinna, on both sides of midveins; indusia whitish, 5–12 x 0.3–0.8 mm, margins entire; spores reniform.

  • Discussion

    Type. Guatemala. Baja Verapaz: Panza´l, Tu¨rckheim II 1677 (US!; isotype BR).

    Asplenium tuerckheimii differs from A. riparium in its clumped fronds, erect rhizomes, blackish rhizome scales with occluded lumina, fewer pinnae per blade (3–6 pairs), equilateral, cuneate pinna bases, more sori (7–15 pairs) per pinna, and whitish indusia. See discussion under A. feei for comparison with that species. Several specimens from northern Chiapas grade towards A. abscissum and are not easy to distinguish from that species (Smith, 1981: 54). Some of these specimens have discrete terminal pinnae, some do not. Additional studies are needed on the relationships and circumscription of these two species.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial or epiphytic in wet montane forests; 200–1400(–2700) m. Mexico; Guat.

    Guatemala Central America| México Mexico North America|