Pleopeltis astrolepis (Liebm.) E.Fourn.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pleopeltis astrolepis (Liebm.) E.Fourn.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizome long-creeping, 0.8-1.5 mm diam.; rhizome scales monomorphic, 0.3-0.5 mm long, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, comose with brown hairs 1-1.5 mm long, black-centered, margin narrow, pale, lacerate-denticulate; fronds (4-)8-11 (-15) cm long; stipe usually less than 1/10 the frond length, 0-18 mm long, black, strongly flattened; blade simple, linear-lanceolate to narrow-elliptic to oblanceolate, margin thin; rachis black in lower 2/3 the frond; abaxial scales scattered to rare, round to ovate-lanceolate, 0.5-1.0 mm wide, center pale to dark brown, margin pale brown, fimbriate, scales on midrib scattered, 0.8-1.0 mm long, lanceolate, cells black, sclerotic; sori oblong, 2-5 mm long, soral scales peltate, 0.1-0.3 mm diam., center dark brown-black, margin pale brown, fimbriate.

  • Discussion

    Polypodium astrolepis Liebmann, Mexic. bregn. 185 (seors. 33). 1849. Phlebodium astrolepis (Liebmann) Conzatti, FI. tax. mex. 1: 100. 1939. Syntypes. Mexico. Oaxaca: Trapiche de la Concepción, Liebmann s.n.; Veracruz: Mirador, Aug 1841, Liebmann s.n. [Fl. Mex. 87]. Both specimens mounted on one sheet (C!). A. R. Smith (1981: 176) chose lowermost specimen as lectotype. Grammitis lanceolata Schkuhr, Deutschl. krypt. Gew. 1: 9, t. 7. 1804, non Polypodium lanceolatum Linnaeus, 1753. Grammitis elongata Swartz, Syn. fil. 22,213.1806, non Pleopeltis elongata Kaulfuss, 1824. Polypodium elongatum (Swartz) Mettenius, Abh. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges. 2: 88, t. 2, f. 8, 9. 1857, nom. illeg., non Schrader, 1818, nec Aiton, 1879. Gymnogramma elongata (Swartz) Hooker, Sp. fil. 5: 157. 1864. Polypodium lanceolatum Linnaeus var. elongatum (Swartz) Krug, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 24: 131. 1897. Type. Jamaica. Swartz s.n. (S). Specimens from the Pacific slope tend to be slightly larger (mostly 11-15 cm long) than those on the Atlantic slope 8-10 cm, but the differences are not great enough to recognize them as distinct varieties. Among the simple-bladed Pleopeltises, P. astrolepis is distinct in its elongate sori, very short stipe and small, comose rhizome scales.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic, or epipetric at lower elevations; Choapan, Cuicatlán, Ixtlán, Juchitán, Juquila, Mixe, Pochutla, Putla, Tehuantepec, Tuxtepec; 0-550 m. Mexico (Col, Mich, Gro, SLP, Hgo, Ver, Oax, Chis, Yuc, Camp); Guat to CR; WI, Trin.

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