Melpomene firma (J.Sm.) A.R.Sm. & R.C.Moran

Primary tabs

Melpomene firma (J.Sm.) A.R.Sm. & R.C.Moran

Descripción

Rhizomes suberect, 2–4 mm diam.; rhizome scales reddish brown, 3–5 mm long, appressed, acuminate at tips; fronds clumped; stipes dark brown to blackish, mostly (2–)4–8 cm long, 1⁄5–1⁄3 the frond length, glabrescent abaxially, setose adaxially, the setae red-brown, 0.1–0.4 mm long, also with a few branched lax pale reddish hairs on both sides; blades mostly 10–20(–27) X 2–6 cm, elliptic to oblanceolate, often completely 1-pinnate proximally and even in the middle, proximal several pairs of pinnae gradually reduced, gradually to subabruptly tapering distally; rachises setose on both sides, the setae 0.3–1 mm long, hairs absent; pinnae ca. 30–35 pairs, linear, mostly 15–30 mm long, 6–12 times longer than broad, perpendicular to the rachis and often upcurved, slightly excised basiscopically and sursumcurrent acroscopically, obtuse to subacute at the tips; costae readily visible and black abaxially; indument abaxially of sparse to numerous setae 1 mm long on costae, with veins, laminae between veins, and pinna margins glabrous; sori to ca. 15 pairs per pinna, sporangia intermixed with setae in and around the sori.A

Forma de crecimiento

Hierba

Forma de vida

Epífita

Nutrición

Autotrófica

Ejemplar revisado

Chis (Breedlove 22657, 25420 p.p., 28212 p.p., 29970 p.p., 30093, DS, 30158, DS, MEXU, 32642, 33665, DS). Oax (Mickel 1008, US; Mickel 4287, NY p.p.).A

Distribución

Caribe PresenteA, Centroamérica: Costa Rica PresenteA; El Salvador PresenteA; Guatemala PresenteA; Honduras PresenteA; Panamá PresenteA, México (país) Nativo y no endémicoA, Sudamérica PresenteA

Elevación

1700 – 2300 mA

Tipo de vegetación

Bosque de neblina/mesófiloA

Categoría IUCN

No incluidaB

Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010

No incluidaC

Estatus del taxón

(A) Como definida actualmente, probablemente una entidad natural (monofilética)

Discusión taxonómica

This species is most similar to M. xiphopteroides, and small forms of M. firma can be confused with that species. Melpomene firma can usually be distinguished by the non-setose stipes abaxially and the broader, 1-pinnate blades with more widely separated proximal pinnae.
Melpomene firma is one of the most strongly aromatic species in the genus. Proctor (1985) reported the aroma persisting in dried specimens nearly a hundred years old.
A

Bibliografía

A. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
B. IUCN 2022: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Versión 2022-2
C. SEMARNAT 2019: MODIFICACIÓN del Anexo Normativo III, Lista de especies en riesgo de la Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010: 101 pp. – https://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5578808&fecha=14/11/2019#gsc.tab=0 [accessed 2023-05-04 06:16]