View source for Astrolepis

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Astrolepis
|accepted_authority=D. M. Benham & Windham
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Amer. Fern J.
|place=82: 55. 1992
|year=1992
}}
|common_names=Star-scaled cloak ferns
|basionyms=
|synonyms=
|hierarchy=Pteridaceae;Astrolepis
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Pteridaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Astrolepis]]</div></div>
|etymology=Greek astro, star, and lepis, scale, in reference to the starlike scales on the adaxial blade surface
|volume=Volume 2
|mention_page=
|treatment_page=
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties=""><b>Plants </b>usually on rock.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="stem architecture or arrangement;stem orientation;stem orientation;stem orientation;stem orientation;stem architecture"><b>Stems </b>compact to short-creeping, erect to ascending, sparingly branched;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale coloration;scale shape;margin architecture or shape;margin architecture or shape;margin architecture or shape">scales tan to chestnut-brown, concolored to weakly bicolored, linear-attenuate, margins ciliate-dentate to entire.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="leaf architecture;leaf arrangement or growth form;leaf some measurement"><b>Leaves </b>monomorphic, densely clustered, 7–130 cm.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="petiole coloration;petiole coloration;petiole coloration;petiole shape;vascular-bundle count"><b>Petiole </b>dull chestnut-brown or straw-colored, rounded adaxially, sparsely to densely covered with scales, with 2 vascular-bundles.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade texture;blade pubescence;blade reflectance;blade coloration or pubescence or relief;scale arrangement;scale shape;scale shape;scale shape;scale architecture or pubescence or shape;scale arrangement or shape;scale arrangement or shape;scale architecture or pubescence or shape"><b>Blade </b>linear to linear-oblong, 1-pinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid, leathery, abaxially covered with overlapping, lanceolate to ovate, ciliate scales with underlying layer of stellate scales, adaxially sparsely to densely covered with stellate or coarsely ciliate scales, often glabrescent when mature, dull, not striate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="rachis course">rachis straight.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="ultimate segment architecture;ultimate segment architecture;ultimate segment architecture;ultimate segment fusion;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment shape;ultimate segment width"><b>Ultimate </b>segments (pinnae) stalked to subsessile, free from axis, ovate, oblong or elongate-deltate, cordate to subcordate or rarely truncate at base, usually more than 4 mm wide;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="segment margin shape;segment margin prominence;segment margin orientation">segment margins plane, undifferentiated, not recurved to form false indusia.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="vein prominence;vein architecture;vein arrangement"><b>Veins </b>of ultimate segments obscure, pinnately branched and divergent distally.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="false indusium count"><b>False </b>indusium absent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="sporangium arrangement;gland count"><b>Sporangia </b>scattered along veins near pinna margins (often clustered near notches between pinna lobes), containing 32 or 64 spores, not intermixed with farina-producing glands.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="spore coloration;spore coloration;spore coloration;spore shape;spore relief;equatorial-ridge count;equatorial-ridge prominence"><b>Spores </b>light to dark-brown, tetrahedral-globose, rugose, lacking prominent equatorial-ridge.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties=""><b>Gametophytes </b>glabrous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="gametophyte pubescence;x chromosome count">x = 29.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=North America;Mexico;West Indies;Central America;South America.
|discussion=<p>The species of Astrolepis have traditionally been assigned to either Notholaena (R. M. Tryon 1956) or Cheilanthes (J. T. Mickel 1979b; R. M. Tryon and A. F. Tryon 1982). Recent biosystematic analyses by D. M. Benham and M. D. Windham (1992) indicate, however, that the star-scaled cloak ferns form a distinctive, monophyletic group worthy of generic recognition. The combination of a chromosome base number of x = 29, pinnate leaves, two vascular bundles in the petioles, unique stellate or coarsely ciliate scales on the adaxial blade surface, and other characteristics separate Astrolepis from related genera.</p><!--
--><p>Species ca. 8 (4 in the flora).</p>
|tables=
|references={{Treatment/Reference
|id=benham1989a
|text=Benham, D. M. 1989. A Biosystematic Revision of the Fern Genus Astrolepis (Adiantaceae). Ph.D. dissertation. Northern Arizona University.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=benham1992a
|text=Benham, D. M. and M. D. Windham. 1992. Generic affinities of the star-scaled cloak ferns. Amer. Fern J. 82: 47--58.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=benham1992b
|text=Benham, D. M. 1992. Additional combinations in Astrolepis. Amer. Fern J. 82: 59--62.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hevly1965a
|text=Hevly, R. H. 1965. Studies of the sinuous cloak fern (Notholaena sinuata) complex. J. Arizona Acad. Sci. 3: 205--208.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=tryon1956a
|text=Tryon, R. M. 1956. A revision of the American species of Notholaena. Contr. Gray Herb. 179: 1--106.
}}
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Largest pinnae usually 4–7 mm; most adaxial scales circular to elliptic, peltate; abaxial scales ovate, usually 0.5–1 mm.
|[[Astrolepis cochisensis|Astrolepis cochisensis]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Largest pinnae usually 7–35 mm; most adaxial scales elongate, attached at their base; abaxial scales lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm.
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Adaxial scales dense, usually persistent; largest pinnae asymmetrically lobed or entire; body of adaxial pinna scales 5–7 cells wide.
|[[Astrolepis integerrima|Astrolepis integerrima]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Adaxial scales sparse, often deciduous; largest pinnae usually symmetrically lobed; body of adaxial pinna scales 1–4 cells wide.
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Adaxial pinna surface sparsely scaly, at least some scales persistent; body of adaxial scales 2–4 cells wide; abaxial scales ciliate with coarse marginal projections; pinnae shallowly lobed, lobes usually broadly rounded.
|[[Astrolepis windhamii|Astrolepis windhamii]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Adaxial pinna surface sparsely scaly to glabrescent, most scales deciduous with age; body of adaxial scales 1–2 cells wide; abaxial scales ciliate-dentate with delicate marginal projections; pinnae usually deeply lobed, lobes often acute.
|[[Astrolepis sinuata|Astrolepis sinuata]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Astrolepis
|author=Dale M. Benham; Michael D. Windham
|authority=D. M. Benham & Windham
|rank=genus
|parent rank=family
|synonyms=
|basionyms=
|family=Pteridaceae
|distribution=North America;Mexico;West Indies;Central America;South America.
|reference=benham1989a;benham1992a;benham1992b;hevly1965a;tryon1956a
|publication title=Amer. Fern J.
|publication year=1992
|special status=
|source xml=https://jpend@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/287ef3db526bd807d435a3c7423ef2df1e951227/V2/V2_263.xml
|genus=Astrolepis
|blade coloration or pubescence or relief=not striate
|blade pubescence=glabrescent
|blade reflectance=dull
|blade shape=linear;linear-oblong 1-pinnate
|blade texture=leathery
|equatorial-ridge count=lacking
|equatorial-ridge prominence=prominent
|false indusium count=absent
|gametophyte pubescence=glabrous
|gland count=32
|leaf architecture=monomorphic
|leaf arrangement or growth form=clustered
|leaf some measurement=7cm;130cm
|margin architecture or shape=ciliate-dentate;entire
|petiole coloration=straw-colored;chestnut-brown;dull
|petiole shape=rounded
|rachis course=straight
|scale architecture or pubescence or shape=ciliate;ciliate
|scale arrangement=overlapping
|scale arrangement or shape=stellate;stellate
|scale coloration=tan;chestnut-brown concolored
|scale shape=lanceolate;ovate
|segment margin orientation=not recurved
|segment margin prominence=undifferentiated
|segment margin shape=plane
|sporangium arrangement=scattered
|spore coloration=light;dark-brown
|spore relief=rugose
|spore shape=tetrahedral-globose
|stem architecture=branched
|stem architecture or arrangement=compact
|stem orientation=erect;ascending
|ultimate segment architecture=stalked;subsessile
|ultimate segment fusion=free
|ultimate segment shape=elongate-deltate cordate;subcordate or rarely truncate
|vascular-bundle count=2
|vein architecture=branched
|vein arrangement=divergent
|vein prominence=obscure
|x chromosome count=29
}}<!--

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