Cheilanthes microphylla

(Swartz) Swartz

Syn. Fil. 127. 1806.

Common names: Southern lip fern
Basionym: Adiantum microphyllum Swartz Prodr., 135. 1788
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Stems long-creeping, 1–3 mm diam.; scales uniformly brown or slightly darker at base, linear-lanceolate, straight to slightly contorted, loosely appressed, persistent. Leaves usually scattered, 8–40 cm; vernation noncircinate. Petiole black, rounded adaxially. Blade lanceolate to linear-oblong, 2-pinnate-pinnatifid to 3-pinnate at base, 1.5–6 cm wide; rachis rounded adaxially, lacking scales, with dimorphic pubescence, abaxially sparsely hirsute, adaxially covered with tortuous, appressed hairs. Pinnae not articulate, dark color of stalk continuing into pinna base, basal pair often slightly larger than adjacent pair, ± equilateral, appearing glabrous or sparsely pubescent adaxially. Costae black adaxially for most of length; abaxial scales absent. Ultimate segments narrowly elliptic to elongate-deltate, not beadlike, the largest 3–7 mm, abaxially and adaxially sparsely hirsute to glabrescent. False indusia marginal to obscurely inframarginal, somewhat differentiated, 0.1–0.4 mm wide. Sori somewhat discontinuous, often concentrated on interrupted lateral lobes. Sporangia containing 64 spores. 2n = 116.


Phenology: Sporulating summer–fall.
Habitat: Calcareous rock outcrops and shell mounds
Elevation: 0–100 m

Distribution

V2 332-distribution-map.gif

Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America

Discussion

In the flora, the primarily Caribbean Cheilanthes microphylla is known from a small number of localities on the Florida peninsula. This restricted distribution, combined with its smaller stems, mostly black costae, and 64-spored sporangia, helps to separate Cheilanthes microphylla from the closely related C. alabamensis.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"wide" is not a number.

... more about "Cheilanthes microphylla"
Michael D. Windham +  and Eric W. Rabe +
(Swartz) Swartz +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
often slightly larger than adjacent pair +
cuneate +, truncate +  and rounded +
Adiantum microphyllum +
scaly rarely glabrous adaxially pubescent +  and glabrous +
lanceolate +  and linear-oblong 2-pinnate-pinnatifid +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Southern lip fern +
Fla. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and South America +
0–100 m +
yellow +  and white +
obcordate;reniform +
Calcareous rock outcrops and shell mounds +
tortuous +
monomorphic +
recurved +  and reflexed +
noncircinate +  and circinate +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
denticulate +  and entire +
glabrous +, scaly +  and pubescent +
Sporulating summer–fall. +
not articulate +
darker;brown +
straight +
persistent +
linear-lanceolate +
yellowish +, brown +  and black or gray +
cristate +  and tetrahedral-globose +
dark colored +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
ascending +  and horizontal +
Cheilanthes microphylla +
Cheilanthes +
species +
adaxially sparsely hirsute;glabrescent +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +
crescent--shaped +  and roundish +
branched +  and anastomosing +