Polypodium amorphum

Suksdorf

Werdenda 1: 16. 1927.

IllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Polypodium montense F. A. Lang
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Stems often whitish pruinose, slender, to 6 mm diam., acrid-tasting; scales weakly bicolored, lanceolate, contorted distally, bases and margins light-brown, sometimes with dark central stripe, margins often coarsely dentate. Leaves to 30 cm. Petiole slender, to 1.5 mm diam. Blade oblong to rarely deltate, pinnatifid, usually widest near middle, occasionally at or near base, to 4 cm wide, somewhat leathery; rachis sparsely scaly to glabrescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially; scales lanceolate-ovate, usually more than 6 cells wide. Segments oblong, less than 12 mm wide; margins entire to crenulate; apex rounded to broadly acute; midrib glabrous adaxially. Venation free. Sori midway between margin and midrib to nearly marginal, less than 3 mm diam., circular when immature. Sporangiasters present, usually less than 40 per sorus, heads covered with glandular-hairs. Spores more than 58 µm, rugose to verrucose, surface projections less than 3 µm tall. 2n = 74.


Phenology: Sporulating summer–fall.
Habitat: Cliffs and rocky slopes, usually on igneous substrates
Elevation: 0–1800 m

Discussion

The diploid Polypodium amorphum is one of the progenitors of allotetraploid P. hesperium, and these two species are occasionally sympatric. Although P. amorphum can be mistaken for P. hesperium, consistent differences exist for separating these two species (see comments under P. hesperium). Hybridization between P. amorphum and P. hesperium results in triploid individuals with misshapen spores (F. A. Lang 1971).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"widest" is not a number.

... more about "Polypodium amorphum"
rounded +  and broadly acute +
Christopher H. Haufler +, Michael D. Windham +, Frank A. Lang +  and S. A. Whitmore +
Suksdorf +
light-brown +
0cm;4cm +
pinnate +  and pinnatisect +
scaly +  and not glaucous +
pinnatifid +, oblong +  and rarely deltate +
B.C. +, Oreg. +  and Wash. +
0–1800 m +
elliptic +  and cordate +
Cliffs and rocky slopes, usually on igneous substrates +
monomorphic +
closely spaced;distant +
narrowed +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (90 cm900 mm <br />0.9 m <br />) +
light-brown +
entire +  and crenulate +
winged +, grooved +  and articulate +
straw-colored +
terete +  and flattened +
Sporulating summer–fall. +
not adaxially +  and grooved +
glabrous;sparsely scaly;glabrescent abaxially +
1 +  and 3 +
clathrate;not peltate;not clathrate;strongly clathrate +
lanceolate-ovate +  and lanceolate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
discrete +
circular +  and oval +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
of modified sporangia +
yellowish +  and transparent +
pruinose +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
few;numerous +
slender +
acrid-tasting +
verrucose +  and tuberculate +
Polypodium montense +
Polypodium amorphum +
Polypodium +
species +
anastomosing +
epiphytic +  and terrestrial +
pendent +, arching +  and erect +