Hypolepis pulcherrima Underw. & Maxon

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Dennstaedtiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hypolepis pulcherrima Underw. & Maxon

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizomes long-creeping, 2–4 mm diam., with brown hairs; fronds 0.7–1 m, distant; stipes ca. 1/2 the frond length, castaneous, glabrescent, slightly bumpy from fallen hair bases; blades deltate, tripinnate to tripinnate-pinnatifid, ca. 35–40 cm wide; pinnae narrowly deltate, equilateral, short-stalked ca. 1 cm; segments coarsely toothed to pinnatifid, teeth/lobes ascending, acute; laminae dull abaxially, membranous; hairs catenate, most common on major axes adaxially, sparse on veins, scattered or reduced (0.1–0.3 mm) abaxially on costules and major veins; veins ending short of margins, darker than laminae; indusia vestigial, ciliate, not protecting the sori.

  • Discussion

    Lectotype (chosen by Lellinger, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 89: 716. 1977). Jamaica. Blue Mt. Peak, Maxon 9912 (US!).

    Ghiesbreght 366 (BM, K) is possibly this species, but the specimens are too incomplete to be certain. These specimens completely lack flexuous, catenate hairs on the axes below, but otherwise agree with H. pulcherrima in the nearly naked sori and dark axes (though castaneous rather than atropurpureous). Chiapas material lacks acicular hairs and is generally less hairy than specimens from Jamaica. Antillean material has atropurpureous axes, is densely pubescent with catenate hairs and a few acicular hairs intermixed, and the indusia are poorly differentiated and ciliate with catenate, glandular hairs. Specimens from Costa Rica and Panama are similar to Antillean material.