Sticherus brevipubis (Christ) A.R.Sm.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Gleicheniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Sticherus brevipubis (Christ) A.R.Sm.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Rhizomes long-creeping, with dark brown ciliate scales 1.5–2.5 x 0.2–0.3 mm; stipes 2–3 mm diam.; main axes beyond first fork dormant or often eventually continuing, scaly to glabrescent; dormant buds with dark brown, stiff, short-ciliate scales 1.5–3 x 0.2–0.3 mm; pinnae 1–2(–3) times pseudodichotomously fork ing; axes below ultimate forks wholly pectinate or pectinate on only the acroscopic side; penultimate segments 3–6 cm wide, the costae glabrescent or with very small dark brown, appressed, short-ciliate scales 0.5–1 x 0.1–0.2 mm; ultimate segments chartaceous, linear, to ca. 3 cm x 1.5–3 mm at mid-segment, plane to usually revolute, abaxially densely tomentose with arachnoid hairs; sori inframedial to medial, with 3–4 sporangia per sorus.

  • Discussion

    Gleichenia brevipubis Christ, Bull. Herb. Boissier, se´r 2, 6: 280. 1906. Lectotype (chosen by Lellinger, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 89: 713. 1977). Costa Rica. 1905, Werckle´ s.n. (P photos UC!, US; isolectotypes UC!, US; frag. NY!).

    This species is very similar to S. bifidus, especially in its tomentose indument, but can be distinguished by the darker scales of the dormant buds, the often pectinate secondary axes (proximal to ultimate forks), and the nearly scaleless costae on the penultimate segments. In Chiapas, S. brevipubis occurs at higher elevations than S. bifidus; this tendency exists elsewhere in the range, in both Mexico and Mesoamerica, but is less pronounced. Gonzales (2003) has adopted the name Sticherus fulvus (Desv.) Ching, Sunyatsenia 5: 283, 1940, for this species. This is based on a type from Jamaica, Blue Mts., collector unknown (holotype P). The basionym of this species is Mertensia fulva Desv., Me´m. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 201, 1827; a synonym is Dicranopteris fulva Underw., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 34: 255, 1907. According to Gonzales, Sticherus fulvus is mostly replaced in S. America by the closely related S. brevitomentosus Østergaard & B. Øllg.

  • Distribution

    Infrequent at margins of montane forests, pinecypress forests, evergreen cloud forests, disturbed cloud forests, especially on the Atlantic slope but also in the southern Sierra Madre in Chiapas; 700–2400 m. Mexico; Guat, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Jam, Hisp; Col, Ec (Palacios & Tirado 13244, UC).

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