Thelypteris sancta (L.) Ching

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Thelypteridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Thelypteris sancta (L.) Ching

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizome ascending to erect, the apex bearing a few small, ovate, dark brown, glabrous, clathrate scales. Fronds densely tufted; stipes very short or nearly lacking, usually less than 3 cm long. Blades oblanceolate, 6-48 cm long, 1.5-10 cm broad above the middle, attenuate downward, the lowest pinnae minute and unequally 3-foliolate; rhachis and costae minutely puberulous in two lines on adaxial side, sometimes also stipitate- glandular, the remainder ofthe blade nearly glabrous to freely pubescent; pinnae of robust plants up to 5 cm long and 1.2 cm broad at base, but usually much smaller, narrowly deltate-lanceolate; segments or pinnules oblique, linear-oblong or oblanceolate, roundish at apex, entire or lightly crenate, and with mostly 3-6 pairs of veins. Sori medial, small; indusium if present minute, erect, and ciliate.

    Distribution and Ecology - General Distribution. Greater and Lesser Antilles, and in Central and northem South America. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Very widespread in suitable habitats; recorded from Arecibo, Ciales, Florida, Hatillo, Lares, Luquillo, Quebradillas, Rio Grande, San Sebastian, and Utuado. Undoubtedly occurs in many other municipios. Habitat. Shaded rocky banks, in humus on wooded hillsides, and on moist ledges and boulders beside streams, at rather low to high elevations (130-1000 m), common, sometimes abundant.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 54.

    Basionym. Acrostichum sanctum Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1320. 1759.

    Lectotype. Sloane, Hist. 1: t. 49, fig. 2, based on a plant from Jamaica.

    Syn. Polypodium sanctum (Linnaeus) Swartz, Prodr. 133. 1788.

    Phegopteris sancta (Linnaeus) Fee, Mem. foug. 5: 243, 1852.

    Lastrea sancta (Linnaeus) J, Smith, Fems Brit, & For. 159. 1866, not Moore, 1858.

    Nephrodium sanctum (Linnaeus) Baker in Hooker & Baker, Syn. fil. 267. 1867.

    Bryopteris sancta (Linnaeus) Kuntze, Revis. gen. pl. 2: 813. 1891.

    Aspidium sanctum var. portoricense Kuhn, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 24: 115. 1897, nomen nudum.

    Bryopteris sancta var. portoricensis C. Christensen, Smithsonian Misc. Collect. 52: 380. 1909.

    (Lectotype. Sintenis 5956, from Utuado, "in praeruptis ad Los Angeles," Puerto Rico, isolectotype US.)

    Lastrea linnaeana Copeland, Gen. fil. 139. 1947. (Based on Acrostichum sanctum Linnaeus, not Lastrea sancta Moore, 1858.)

    Thelypteris sancta var. portoricensis (C. Christensen) Morton, Contr. U.S, Natl. Herb. 38: 238. 1973.

    Amauropelta sancta (Linnaeus) Pichi Sermolli, Webbia 31: 251. 1977. (Other synonymy omitted.)