Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 35
2. LOMARIOPSIS
Terrestrial or hemiepiphytic ferns; rhizomes climbing by aerial roots, elongate, somewhat
compressed, covered with scales. Fronds short-stipitate, dimorphic, the fertile ones with narrower
pinnae than the sterile ones; blades pinnate, pinnae membranaceous, with serrate margins and free
venation, simple or bifurcate, the lateral pinnae deciduous by means of a basal articulation, the terminal
pinna not articulate. Fertile fronds densely covered with sporangia on the lower surface; indusia absent.
A pantropical genus of 45 species, 15 of which are found in the Neotropics.
Key to the species of Lomariopsis
1a. Pinnae of the sterile fronds unequal at the base, with inconspicuous venation; pinnae of the fertile
fronds ca. 2 mm wide ........................................................................................ 1. L. amydrophlebia
1b. Pinnae of the sterile fronds equilateral at the base, with prominent venation on the lower surface;
pinnae of the fertile fronds 3-8 mm wide .......................................................................................... 2
2a. Margin of the sterile pinnae acutely incised-serrate; rhizomes sparsely covered with reddish brown,
lanceolate-caudate, denticulate to ciliate scales, 2-5 mm long; pinnae 20-46.......... 2. L. kunzeana
2b. Margin of the sterile pinnae finely serrate; rhizomes densely covered with light brown, narrowly
lanceolate-caudate, ciliate scales, 8-12 mm long; pinnae 30-54 .............................. 3. L. sorbifolia
1. Lomariopsis amydrophlebia (Sloss. ex
Maxon) Holttum, Kew Bull. 1939: 617. 1940.
Fig. 10. C
BASIONYM: Stenochlaena amydrophlebia Sloss. ex Maxon
Terrestrial fern. Rhizomes climbing by aerial
roots, dark brown, 4-8 mm wide, densely covered
with ferruginous, lanceolate-caudate scales, 6-9
mm long. Sterile fronds 30-70 cm long; stipes
12-18 cm long, dark brown, sulcate, with some
scattered glandular hairs and scales; rachis
narrowly winged; pinnae 22-34, alternate, oblonglanceolate,
falcate, chartaceous, 3.5-9 × 1-1.7 cm,
puberulent on both surfaces, the venation
inconspicuous, parallel, free, the apex obtuse to
acuminate, the base cuneate, unequal, the margins
crenate to finely serrate, revolute; lower surface
with the midvein lighter in color. Fertile fronds
smaller than the sterile ones; pinnae linear, 4-9
cm × ca. 2 mm, the apex obtuse, the base obtuse;
lower surface densely covered with light brown
sporangia.
Phenology: Collected in fertile condition in
April.
Status: Native, uncommon.
Distribution: In moist forests of the Cordillera
Central and the Sierra de Luquillo. Also in the
Dominican Republic.
Public forests: Carite, El Yunque, and Toro
Negro.
2. Lomariopsis kunzeana (Underw.) Holttum,
Kew Bull. 1939: 617. 1940.
Fig. 10. D
BASIONYM: Stenochlaena kunzeana Underw.
Terrestrial fern. Rhizomes climbing by aerial
roots, light brown, slightly compressed or obtusely
triangular, with longitudinal keels, 5-10 mm wide,
sparsely covered with ferruginous, lanceolatecaudate
scales, 2-5 mm long. Sterile fronds 40-
90 cm long; stipes 8-18 cm long, light brown,
sulcate, with some scattered glandular hairs and
scales; rachis narrowly winged; pinnae 20-46,
alternate or subopposite, lanceolate, chartaceous,
4-11 × 1-1.5 cm, the apex acuminate, the base
cuneate, equilateral, the margins acutely incisedserrate,
slightly revolute; the upper surface
glabrous, the midvein compressed; lower surface
puberulent, the midvein rather prominent,
yellowish, the secondary venation conspicuous,
parallel, free. Fertile fronds smaller than the sterile
ones; pinnae oblong, 4-8 mm wide, the apex acute,
the base obtuse; lower surface densely covered
with light brown sporangia.