Pteris altissima Poir.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Pteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pteris altissima Poir.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizome stout, woody, horizontal to ascending, densely clothed at apex with linear-attenuate bicolorous scales 3-12 mm long, these with a blackish- to reddish-brown medial portion and variably nanow, more or less erose, glabrous or ciliate, pale margins. Fronds erect-spreading, mostly 1-2 m long (rarely to 3 m); stipes about as long as the blades, usually 40-100 cm long, stout (up to 1.2 cm diam.), light grayish-brown to straw-colored, grooved adaxially, smooth, naked except for a few bicolorous scales at extreme base. Blades deltate-ovate, somewhat pentagonal, up to 1.5 m long and 1.2 m broad, the greatly enlarged basal pinnae (and often a few more) 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, the apical portion 1-pinnate- pinnatifid, terminating in a broad-based pinnatifid apical pinna; rhachis straw-colored, naked and glabrous; pinnae stalked (or a few distal ones sessile); penultimate divisions (pinnae or pinnules according to position) cuneate at base, broadly pinnatifid, up to 15 cm wide at base, tapering to a more or less caudate apex, their costae awned on the adaxial side at base of costules; ultimate segments elongate-deltate, acute to long-acuminate, joined by a rounded sinus, the fertile ones up to 1 cm broad at the middle, the sterile ones wider, closer, and often with acute sinuses; veins copiously reticulate, finely prominulous; tissue rather firmly herbaceous, glabrous or with a few scattered, minute, appressed, septate hairs on abaxial side especially near the costules. Indusium pale greenish or brownish, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, with entire margin.

  • Discussion

    Type. Ledru in 1797. from Puerto Rico (P-Herb. Lamarck, photo GH).

    Syn, Pteris kunzeana J. G. Agardh, Recens. spec. Pter. 62. 1839. (Type. Syntypes from Peru.)

    Pteris elata J. G. Agardh, op. cit. 63. 1839. (Type. Cuming 1267, from Panama, K, not seen.)

    Litobrochia altissima (Poiret) Fee, Mem. foug. 5: 135. 1852.

    Litobrochia kunzeana (J. G. Agardh) Fee, l.c.

    Litobrochia elata (J, G. Agardh) Fee, I.c.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Greater and Lesser Antilles, and continental tropical America from Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Widespread in mountainous areas, but undenepresented in collections, probably because of its large size; recorded from Arecibo, Adjuntas, Jayuya, Naguabo, Orocovis, Ponce, Rio Grande, and Utuado. Habitat. Moist shaded ravines and wooded slopes at middle to high elevations (350-1200 m), locally common.

    Utuado Puerto Rico South America| Río Grande Puerto Rico South America| Ponce Puerto Rico South America| Orocovis Puerto Rico South America| Naguabo Puerto Rico South America| Jayuya Puerto Rico South America| Adjuntas Puerto Rico South America| Arecibo Puerto Rico South America| México Mexico North America| Brazil South America| Bolivia South America|