Astrolepis deltoidea (Baker) J.B.Beck & Windham
Descripción
Emended description (extreme values in parentheses from Liebold’s juvenile, nonsporulating holotype): Rhizomes, erect, compact; rhizome scales uniformly brown, 7–10 × 0.16–0.6 mm, margins dentate; leaves (8–)75–100 cm; blades linear, (4–)65–80 cm, pinnate-pinnatifid; rachis scales dimorphic, the larger ones lanceolate, the main body 2.5–4.0 mm × 130–700 μm, the margins ciliate; pinnae (5–)60–80, mostly alternate, the largest (14–)24–30 × (10–)12–17 mm wide, ovateoblong with broadly rounded apices, ± symmetrically lobed approximately 2/3 the way to the costae, lobes (4–)9–13, the terminal lobe clearly larger than the adjacent lobes; abaxial surfaces concealed by a dense covering of scales, these scales lanceolate, the main body 1.0–2.1 mm × 300–600 μm, the margins long-ciliate throughout; adaxial surfaces with scattered scales these usually ± along the costae; adaxial scales substellate, with linear main body 0.6–1.2 mm × 30–70 μm, long-ciliate, longest cilia 300–600 μm long, typically at least one half the length of the main body, 7–14 cilia per scale; sporangia containing 64 spores averaging ca. 45 μm in diam.A
Ejemplar revisado
Hidalgo: 2 mi N of Posada del Rey, 5 July 1966, Mears 278 (TEX-LL).A
Elevación
2500 mA
Tipo de vegetación
Bosque de neblina/mesófiloA
Categoría IUCN
No incluidaB
Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010
No incluidaC
Discusión taxonómica
Astrolepis deltoidea can be distinguished from all other diploid Astrolepis by its distinctive abaxial pinna scales, which are long-ciliate throughout. Astrolepis deltoidea is further distinguished from its sister species A. sinuata by its relatively long (> 6 mm) rhizome scales and expanded terminal pinna lobes, which are noticeably larger than the adjacent lobes. It is morphologically most similar to A. laevis, but can be distinguished from this taxon by the greater number of pinna lobes (> 8), and the persistence of some adaxial scales along the pinna costae. The specimen from Guerrero ( Fonseca & Velazquez 2475 —NY) is distinct from the remaining three known specimens in a number of respects, including its relatively large (to 44 mm) pinnae, denticulate (vs. ciliate) rachis scales, and ovate (vs. lanceolate) abaxial scales. This Guerrero individual was also genetically differentiated from the other sequenced A. deltoidea specimens. Further investigation is needed to fully evaluate the distinctiveness of this specimen; therefore, its unique morphological characteristics were not incorporated into the description presented here.A