Marsilea polycarpa Hook. & Grev.

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

  • Family

    Marsileaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Marsilea polycarpa Hook. & Grev.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Similar to M. deflexa except: rhizome 0.5-0.7 mm diam.; land fronds with terete to canaliculate petioles, rounded-spatulate to flabellate leaflets 6-30 mm long, 5-30 mm wide; fertile leaves on land, rarely on floating plants, 7-25 sporocarps in a single row on unbranched, recurved peduncles; sporocarps round to ovate in lateral view, brown to black, thinly villous but eventually glabrate, 2-2.6 mm long, 1.6-2 mm wide, 1.7-1.9 mm thick.

  • Discussion

    Zaluzianskia polycarpa (Hooker & Greville) O. Kuntze, Revis. gen. pl. 2: 823. 1891. Lectotype (chosen by Johnson, 1986: 44). Guyana. Demerara, Parker s.n. (K; isolectotype K). Marsilea brasiliensis Martius, Icon. pl. crypt., t. 73, f. 2. 1834. Type. Brazil. Bahia: In lacubus ad Joazeiro [Juazeiro], 1819, Martius s.n. (M). Marsilea polycarpa var. mexicana A. Braun, Monatsber. Kõnigl. Preuss. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 1870: 713. 1871. Type. Mexico. [Veracruz?:] Mesachica, 1828, Schiede 836 (B; isotype G). Marsilea polycarpa is distinctive in its numerous, small sporocarps borne in a single row on the petiole and the lack of raphe and teeth on the sporocarps. Marsilea crotophora (q.v.) has a similar number and attachment of sporocarps, but the sporocarps are larger and the topmost sporocarp is above the midpoint of the petiole. In sterile condition, M. polycarpa can be distinguished from M. deflexa by the former having abaxial intercostal striae all the way to the pulvinus and the tendency to have floating rather than submerged rooted rhizomes. See M. deflexa for possible hybrid with that species.

  • Distribution

    Edges of marshes, ponds and seasonal lakes on clay substrates of subacid to neutral pH. Mexico (Jal, Ver); Guat to Pan; Gr Antill, Trin; Col & Sur to Braz; Society Isl & Tahiti.

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