The World Flora Online

1. Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link, Fil. Spec. 59 (1841).

Por G. Yatskievych.

Pteris atropurpurea L., Sp. Pl. 1076 (1753). Sintipo: Estados Unidos, Anon. (LINN-1246.18).

Rizoma 4-9(-11) mm de diámetro, compacto, decumbente, las escamas concoloras, pardo-anaranjadas, generalmente denticuladas, largamente atenuadas, frecuentemente tortuosas; hojas 6-50 cm, casi dimorfas; pecíolo y raquis teretes o casi teretes, no flexuosos, púrpura oscuro a negruzcos, generalmente brillantes, frecuentemente al menos algo pelosos con tricomas flexuosos; lámina deltada-ovada a lanceolada, 1-pinnada o 2(-3)-pinnada en la parte basal; pinnas generalmente alternas; pínnulas 1-7.5 cm, sésiles a cortamente pediculadas, elípticas a casi lineares, generalmente enteras, algunas veces lobadas acroscópicamente (raramente ternadas), glabras o con tricomas esparcidos multicelulares en el envés; pínnulas fértiles más angostas que las pínnulas estériles; esporas 32 por esporangio. Crestas expuestas o sombreadas, grietas de roca, paredes de cañón; ocasionalmente en taludes de los caminos. Ch (Breedlove 38729, MO); G (Standley 62598, F). 900-2500 m. (Canadá, Estados Unidos, México, Guatemala.)

Pellaea atropurpurea es un triploide apogámico con 2n=87, basado en conteos de numerosas localidades (Smith, 1981). Plantas de México, con hojas 1-pinnadas y pinnas casi lineares aparentemente representan un taxon apogámico tetraploide (2n=116) no descrito, resultante de la hibridación entre P. atropurpurea triploide y P. notabilis Maxon diploide, esta última especie del noreste de México (Gastony y Windham, 1989).

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Stems compact, ascending, stout, 5--10 mm diam.; scales uniformly reddish brown (or tan), linear-subulate, 0.1--0.3 mm wide, thin, margins entire to denticulate. Leaves somewhat dimorphic, sterile leaves shorter and less divided than fertile leaves, clustered on stems, 5--50 cm; croziers villous. Petiole reddish purple to nearly black, lustrous, rounded adaxially, without prominent articulation lines. Blade elongate-deltate, usually 2-pinnate proximally, 2--18 cm wide; rachis reddish purple throughout, straight, rounded adaxially, densely pubescent adaxially with short, curly, appressed hairs. Pinnae perpendicular to rachis or ascending, not decurrent on rachis, usually with 3--15 ultimate segments; costae straight, 10--100 mm, often longer than ultimate segments. Ultimate segments linear-oblong, 10--75 mm, leathery, sparsely villous abaxially near midrib; margins weakly recurved to plane on fertile segments, usually covering less than 1/2 abaxial surface, borders whitish, crenulate; apex obtuse to slightly mucronate. Veins of ultimate segments obscure. Sporangia long-stalked, containing 32 spores, not intermixed with farina-producing glands. n = 2 n = 87, apogamous.

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Rhizome-scales 3–6 mm, appressed, matted, dull tawny or rusty, the young tips tan and entangled; lvs slightly dimorphic, stiffly erect, mostly 20–40 cm; petiole shorter than the blade, purplish-brown, obviously hairy (as also the rachis) especially on the upper side; pinnae 5–11 pairs, petiolulate, the sterile ones ovate to broadly oblong, the basal mostly at least twice as long as the upper and with 3–15 segments, the ultimate segments mostly 1–7.5 × 0.5–1 cm; fertile segments narrower than the sterile, linear-oblong, acute, mucronate, the irregularly revolute margin opening and commonly leaving many sporangia exposed, eventually becoming flat; 2n=87, an apogamous triploid with 32 spores per sporangium. Calcareous rocks and open woods; s. Que., Vt., and R.I. to Minn. and Wyo., s. to Fla., Ariz., and Mex.; disjunct in Sask., Alta., and B.C. Thought to have originated by hybridization of P. glabella with another undetermined sp.

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Rhizome short, compact, to 8 mm diam.; rhizome scales 5-6 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, linear, dark orange, concolorous, dull, subentire with occasional teeth, tortuous; fronds to 50 cm long, subdimorphic; stipe ¼-½ the frond length, terete, atropurpureous, pubescent with 1-2 mm long white hairs; blade elongate-deltate, to 25 cm long, 18 cm wide, bipinnate, gray-green; pinnae peti-olate, articulate, pinnule stalk color dark, stopping at base of pinnule, apex acute to rounded, upper pinnae entire, lower one pinnate, slightly pubescent along lower costae with 1-2 mm long hairs, one to several pairs of pinnules, ultimate segments linear, entire, subcoriaceous, ultimate pinnule on basal pinnae 30-40 mm long, 4 mm wide; fertile margin recurved, thin at edge, indusium 0.1 mm with entire margin, sori elongate along ends of the veins about 2 mm wide; spores tan.

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Rhizomes short, compact, to 8 mm diam.; rhizome scales 5–6 x 0.3 mm, linear, dark orange, concolorous, dull, subentire with occasional teeth, tortuous; fronds to 50 cm long, subdimorphic; stipes 1/4–1/2 the frond length, terete, atropurpureous, pubescent with scattered white hairs of two lengths,1–2 mm long and 0.1 mm long; blades elongate-deltate, to 25 x 18 cm, 2-pinnate or rarely 1-pinnate, gray-green; pinnae petiolate to 15 mm, articulate, pinnule stalks dark, stopping at bases of pinnules, apices acute to rounded, distal pinnae entire, proximal ones pinnate, slightly pubescent along abaxial costae with 1–2 mm long hairs, 1 to several pairs of pinnules, ultimate segments linear, entire, subcoriaceous, ultimate pinnules on proximal pinnae 30–40 x 4 mm; fertile margins recurved, thin at edges, indusia 0.1 mm with entire margins, sori elongate about 2 mm along ends; spores tan; n =2n=87 (Canada, USA, NL).

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Limestone roadbank; Nochixtlán, Sola de Vega; 1600-1900 m. Mexico (Son, Chih, Coah, NL, Tam, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis); e, s & sw US, Canada; Guat.

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Limestone cliffs; 1500-2500 m. Canada, USA; Mexico; Guat.

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