Polypodium remotum Desv.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Polypodium remotum Desv.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizomes horizontal, compact, 4-5 mm diam.; rhizome scales bicolorous, each with black center or sclerotic cells and tan, membranous, entire or erose margins, 2-3.5 x 1 mm; fronds 26- 70 cm long, the fertile far exceeding the sterile, approximate; stipes 1/4-1/3 the frond length, stramineous to atropurpureous, slightly winged to base, with scattered, bicolorous, linearlanceolate scales 2-4 mm long; blades pinnatisect, narrowly deltate, the sterile ones 8-15 cm wide, the fertile ones 6-10 cm wide; pinnae 18-37 pairs, the sterile ones narrowly oblong, 3.5-7 cm x 6-8 mm, the fertile ones 2.5-4 cm x 2-4 mm, subcoriaceous; abaxial blade surfaces nearly glabrous, with sparse linearlanceolate scales ca. 1 mm long on or near costae; adaxial blade surfaces glabrous, with lime-dots; venation not visible, veins ending in hydathodes, often with lime-dots; sori round, medial; sporangia glabrous.

  • Discussion

    Type. “habitat in America calidiori,” Desvaux s.n. (P! photo BM!).

    Polypodium leucosticton Kunze ex Klotzsch, Linnaea 20: 380. 1847. Syntypes. Venezuela. Hartweg 1499 and Moritz 336 (BM-2 sheets!).

    Mexican specimens are not as strongly dimorphic as those from Central and South America. Smith (1981) reported that at least some specimens occurred on wet rocks adjacent to and even within streams, as opposed to the species’ usual epiphytic habitat. Smith (1981) also reported that at least occasionally the spores of this species germinate while still inside the sporangia, and thus the sori may appear green. Polypodium remotum belongs to the P. plebeium group having black-centered rhizome scales with broad tan margins.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic, rarely epipetric or terrestrial in montane rain forests; 1220-1700 m. Mexico; Guat, Nic, CR, Pan; Jam, Hisp; Col, Ven, Ec, Peru, Bol.

    Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Bolivia South America|