Thelypteris kunthii

(Desvaux) C. V. Morton

Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 38: 53. 1967.

Common names: Widespread maiden fern southern shield fern
Basionym: Nephrodium kunthii Desvaux Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 258. 1827
Synonyms: Christella normalis (C. Christensen) Holttum Dryopteris normalis C. Christensen Thelypteris macrorhizoma R. P. St. John Thelypteris normalis (C. Christensen) Moxley Thelypteris saxatilis R. P. St. John Thelypteris unca R. P. St. John
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Stems short- to long-creeping, 4–8 mm diam. Leaves monomorphic, evergreen, up to 2(–3) cm apart, (15–)50–160 cm. Petiole straw-colored, (5–)20–80 × (1–)3–6 mm, at base with brown, linear-lanceolate, hairy scales. Blade (9–)30–80 cm, broadest at base, gradually tapered to pinnatifid apex. Pinnae (2–)8–15(–20) × (0.6–)1–2.5 cm, incised 3/5–4/5 of width; segments oblong, rounded to acute at apex; proximal pair of veins from adjacent segments running to sinus, or nearly so. Indument abaxially of hairs mostly 0.3–1 mm on costae, veins, and blade tissue; veins adaxially with similar hairs but blade tissue usually without hairs, often with scattered yellowish, stalked glands 0.1 mm. Sori round, medial to supramedial; indusia tan, hairy, hairs 0.2–0.4 mm; sporangial glands obscure, yellowish, stalked, arising from sporangial stalks. 2n = 144.


Habitat: Roadsides, ditches, riverbanks, woodlands, limestone sinks
Elevation: 0–100 m

Distribution

V2 315-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., S.C., Tex., e, s Mexico, West Indies, Bermuda, Central America to Costa Rica, South America from Colombia to n Brazil.

Discussion

Thelypteris kunthii occasionally hybridizes with T. augescens and T. ovata in Florida; hybrids with T. hispidula may also occur.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Thelypteris kunthii"
Alan R. Smith +
(Desvaux) C. V. Morton +
Nephrodium kunthii +
Widespread maiden fern +  and southern shield fern +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, S.C. +, Tex. +, e +, s Mexico +, West Indies +, Bermuda +, Central America to Costa Rica +  and South America from Colombia to n Brazil. +
0–100 m +
Roadsides, ditches, riverbanks, woodlands, limestone sinks +
Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. +
Christella normalis +, Dryopteris normalis +, Thelypteris macrorhizoma +, Thelypteris normalis +, Thelypteris saxatilis +  and Thelypteris unca +
Thelypteris kunthii +
Thelypteris subg. Cyclosorus +
species +