Lomariopsis kunzeana

(C. Presl ex L. Underwood) Holttum

Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1939: 617. 1940.

Common names: Holly fern climbing holly fern
Illustrated
Basionym: Stenochlaena kunzeana C. Presl ex L. Underwood Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 196. 1906
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Petiole straw-colored, 3–12 cm, narrowly winged, base scaly. Blade oblanceolate, 7–25 × 3–6 cm, tapered toward base. Rachis winged throughout; wing ca. 0.5 mm wide. Sterile pinnae narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 3–6 × 1–1.5 cm, coarsely serrate, base cuneate. Fertile pinnae linear, ca. 3 mm wide.


Habitat: Hammocks, limestone sinkholes
Elevation: 0 m

Distribution

V2 320-distribution-map.gif

Fla., West Indies in Cuba, Hispaniola.

Discussion

Plants from Florida differ from those of Cuba and Hispaniola by their smaller size and more deeply serrate sterile pinnae. Unlike all other species in the genus, the Florida plants rarely climb trees and freely produce fertile leaves from the terrestrial stem. According to James H. Peck (pers. comm.), the gametophytes of Lomariopsis kunzeana can often be found among the stem scales.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.