Elaphoglossum obscurum
Description
Rhizomes short-creeping, 5–8 mm diam.; rhizome scales castaneous, lustrous, linear-lanceolate, with long hair-teeth, 5–8 mm long; fronds approximate, 32–75 X 3–6 cm; phyllopodia distinct; stipes ca. 1⁄3 the frond length, with scales linear-lanceolate, tan-orange, 2–8 mm long, ciliolate, wide-spreading, others smaller, substellate; blades narrowly elliptic, chartaceous, bases cuneate to rounded, apices caudate; veins evident to obscure, free, simple to once-forked, ca. 1.5 mm apart, at ca. 70° angle to costa; hydathodes absent; adaxial surfaces with narrowly lanceolate scales 1–2 mm long, plane, with long hair-teeth, glabrous with age; abaxial blade scales orange, lanceolate, long-ciliolate, margins somewhat upcurved, scattered on the abaxial surfaces, mostly 1–1.5 mm long; abaxial costal scales 2–5 mm long and with small substellate scales as on stipes; fertile fronds slightly shorter than the sterile fronds, blades linear, 10–14 mm wide, stipes 1⁄2 the frond length, with scales on abaxial midveins as on sterile costa but lacking among sporangia, abaxially with many ciliolate scales 0.5–1 mm long.A
A. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Discussion
Elaphoglossum obscurum resembles E. vestitum but is distinct in the long, abundant conspicuous scales, especially on the stipes and costae, and the broader blades (3–6 vs. 1.4–3.1 cm).B
B. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Distribution
México (Country) endemicC
Specimen
Hgo (Lorence 4902, MEXU). Pue (Boege 1146, MEXU; Rzedowski 31762, MEXU). Ver (Diggs & Nee 2782, NY, UC; Nee & Diggs 24900, F; Nee & Hansen 18697, NY; Taylor et al. 122a, NY; Ventura A. 21, NY; Riba et al. 402, NY).D
D. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88