Blechnum serrulatum Rich.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Blechnaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Blechnum serrulatum Rich.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizomes creeping or the apices ascending, 5-10 mm diam., lacking stolons; rhizome scales concolorous and dark brown, to somewhat bicolorous with blackish central streaking, lanceolate,4-8 x 0.3-0.8 mm, margins entire; fronds monomorphic or weakly dimorphic (pinnae of fertile blades slightly narrowed), clumped; stipes (10-)20-40 cm x 3-5 mm, 1/4-1/2 the frond length, tan, smooth, glabrous; blades chartaceous to subcoriaceous, 50-120 x 10-30 cm, oblong to ovate, bases truncate and lacking vestigial pinnae, subabruptly or abruptly tapered at the conform apices, 1-pinnate, terminal pinna similar in shape to lateral pinnae; rachises tan to stramineous, smooth, glabrous, lacking aerophores at pinna bases; pinnae 25-40 pairs, linearoblong, 5-15 cm x 5-15 mm, sessile or stalked to 2 mm, not adnate, equilateral, articulate (distinct articulate line at bases) and deciduous, apices acute, margins serrulate, not revolute, abaxially with small tan scales 0.5-1 x 0.5-8 mm long on costae, adaxially glabrous; veins simple or 1-forked, vein endings not enlarged or conspicuous, fusing with strongly cartilaginous whitish margins; indusia 0.5 mm wide, entire to erose.

  • Discussion

    Type. French Guiana. Leblond s.n. (P, photo US).

    This species differs markedly from other Mexican species of Blechnum in its lack of visibly enlarged vein endings (fusing with the cartilaginous margins instead), articulate pinnae, narrowly spaced veins, and relatively widely spaced teeth. The sori are often confined to the distal pinnae. Mickel and Beitel (1988: 89) cited B. serrulatum from Yucata´n, perhaps on the basis of Goldman 625, labelled “Plants of Yucatan, Mexico, Puerto Morelos”; however, this locality is in Quintana Roo. The name Blechnum indicum Burm. f., in recent years considered to apply to Asplenium longissimum Blume, has been recently neotypified by Chambers and Farrant (in McCarthy, 1998: 710) by Coveny 4712 (NSW; isoneotype UC!, among others). With this typification, it is very closely related to B. serrulatum. The differences were discussed by Chambers and Farrant (in McCarthy, 1998: 374). Its range is in Southeast Asia, Australia, and Polynesia.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial, wet ditches, swamps at low elevations; 0–900 m. USA (s Fla); Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Bah, Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol, Parag, n Arg; Malesia, Australia.

    Australia Oceania| Paraguay South America| Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| West Indies| Grenada South America| Bahamas South America| Panama Central America| Nicaragua Central America| El Salvador Central America| Honduras Central America| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America| Guatemala Central America| México Mexico North America|