Elaphoglossum lanceum
Description
Rhizomes short-creeping to erect, 1 mm diam.; rhizome scales linear-lanceolate, reddish brown, 7 mm long; fronds clumped, 9–34 X 1.2–2.7 cm; phyllopodia absent; stipes 1⁄2 the frond length, with scales red-brown, strongly spreading, subulate, to 6 mm long; blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, membranaceous, bases cuneate, apices acuminate, margins entire to crenulate; veins conspicuous, free, simple or once-forked, 2–3 mm apart, at 35–40° angle to costa; hydathodes evident; blade scales orangebrown, subulate, 3–5 mm long, sparse; fertile fronds shorter than the sterile, ca. 16 cm long, bases cuneate, blade apices acuminate to subcaudate, blades shorter in proportion to the length of the sterile blades (to 13 cm long, 4.8 cm wide), stipes 2⁄3–4⁄5 length, scales mixed with the sporangia.A
A. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Discussion
Elaphoglossum lanceum is known only from a few collections, most of which have fronds only 12–20 cm long and distinctly lance-shaped. It resembles E. smithii (Baker) Christ of the West Indies, but E. lanceum is readily distinguished by its small size, thin texture, somewhat more blade scales, and highly fenestrate spore crests (vs. imperforate crests in E. smithii).B
B. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Specimen
Oax (Breedlove 65911, 65926, CAS; Mickel 5565, NY).D
D. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
Synonymy
Elaphoglossum lanceum, Amer. Fern J. 69(4): 101. 1979