Elaphoglossum monicae
Description
Rhizomes short-creeping to ascending, ca. 3 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear, maroon, to 8 mm long, with short teeth; fronds clumped, 7–40 X 1.5–4 cm; phyllopodia absent; stipes 1⁄2–2⁄3 the length of the sterile fronds; stipe scales orange to maroon, subulate, wide-spreading, 2–3 mmlong; stipes also with a few minute erect glandular hairs; blades oblong-elliptic, 3–6 times as long as wide, rounded to broadly cuneate at bases, acute to acuminate or sometimes cuspidate at apices; veins evident, ca. 2 mm apart, at 60–70° angle to costa; hydathodes distinct; blade scales subulate, orange to maroon, sparse on the abaxial surfaces, rare adaxially, spreading from the margins, 2–3 mm long; fertile fronds shorter than the sterile, the stipes 3⁄4–4⁄5 the length of the fertile fronds, the blades ovate, rounded to truncate at bases, 1.7–5 X 0.8–1.5 cm, the apices obtuse, the blades often folded at the midveins, scales present on the midveins abaxially, but lacking among sporangia.A
A. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Discussion
This species is closest to E. setigerum, which is distinguished by its sterile blade length/width ratio of 10–15:1 (vs. 3–6:1), and more southern distribution (Gro, Oax, Chis). Elaphoglossum monicae closely resembles E. lindenii in the sometimes cuspidate blade apices, subulate scales, glands on the stipes, and red-brown rhizome scales, but in E. monicae the blades are more oblongelliptic and the spores are echinate-reticulate, 37–49 (avg. 43) µm long, rather than with fenestrate crests and 23–33 (avg. 29) µm long.B
B. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Distribution
México (Country) endemicC
Specimen
DF (Rzedowski 27242, NY). Dgo (McVaugh 23599, MICH). Gro (Rzedowski & McVaugh 250, ENCB, MICH). Jal (McVaugh 10060, ENCB, LL, MICH, NY, TEX, US p.p., 26140, NY). Méx (Hinton 7221, LL, MO, NY, TEX, US; Purpus 1585, NY). Mor (Lyonnet 1407, US). Sin (Ownbey & Ownbey 1965, US). Ver (Dorantes 566, MEXU).D
D. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Synonymy
Elaphoglossum monicae, Fl. Novo-Galiciana 17: 273, fig. 1992