Thelypteris sancta (L.) Ching, New for Florida and the Continental United States

2006·2 MB·English

by  Keith A Bradley

Amorican Fern Journal 9G(4):112-114 (2006]
New
and
Thelypteris sancta Ching, Florida the
for
(L.)
United
Continental
States
a. Bradley
Kkitii
Rngional Conservation, 22G01 S.W. 152 Ave., Miami, FL 33170
Tlu; Inslilute for
—
ABSTRAcrr.^ While compiling a plant inventory for a 20 acre forest fragment in i-'lorida City. Miami-
Dade Connty, Florida, on March 30, 2006, an unnsual Tbnlyptnris sp(H;ies was collected. The
specimens did not correspond any species reported from Florida [Wimderlin and Hansen, 2000].
to
Using ki^ys in Proctor (198G), Sancliez at al. (2006), and Morton (19()3) was tentatively idei:itified
it
A who
Ching. specimen was sent Alan Smith, an expert on the genns,
as sdiicfiJ (L.) to R.
'l\
confirnuid this identification.
Thelypteris sancta widespread spetdes occurring from Greater and
a
tlie
is
Lesser Antilles through Central America and northern South America (Proctor,
member
Sanchez second subgenus
1989; 2006]. the of Thelypteris
et
a/., It is
Amauropelta to be found in Florida. The other member, T. resinifera (Desv.]
De and
Proctor, occ:urs in central Florida in Soto, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pollc
Counties. Subgenus Amauropelta contains about 200 species [Smitli, 1974],
and section Amauropelta about 50 (Smith, 1974]. The subgenus distin-
is
guished from other Thelypteris in the Florida and Caribbean area by having
and
margin above simple
veins reaching the the sinus, hairs, sessile
free
reddish glands on the abaxial surface of the blades (Smith, 1974; Proctor,
one
1989]. Thelypteris sancta has pinnate pinnatifid blades witli or
(Fig. 1]
two pairs of free pinnules at the base of each pinna, whereas T. resinifera does
The
not have free pinnules. overall aspect of T. sancta is quite different fron:i
other Thelypteris species in southern Florida. Because resinifera does not
T.
occur southern Florida, the only other species in southern Florida with an
in
erect stem and primarily pinnate pinnatifid fronds patens (Sw.] Small ex
is T.
much
R.P. John (subgenus Cyclosorus). Tlielypteris patens, however, a
St. is
Wunderlin
larger species with veins converging the sinus (Proctor, 1989;
at
and Hansen,
2000].
About 200 individuals of Thelypteris sancta were observed on the edges of
solution holes in oolitic limestone substrate. Mau}^ age classes were seen, from
many Some
juvenile sporophytes adults, and even dead specdmens. plants
to
were under a dense canopy of the exotic tree Scliinus terebinthifolius Raddi.
hammock
Most was canopy dominated
population rockland with
of the in a a
by native hardwoods, especially Quercus virginiana Mill, and Ficus aurea
Nutt. Associated ferns incduded T. dentala (Forssk.) E. P. St. John, T. IcunLliii
A
Anemia
Morton, and Sw. review 1940
(Desv.) C. V. adiantifolia of aerial
(L.]
showed
photographs of the that there has been significant habitat
site
succession in the last 66 years. The area found to contain T. sancta was
formerly pine rockland savanna with canopy Pinus Engchn.
a a oi alliottii var.
SANCTA
BRADLEY: THELYPTERIS FLORIDA
K. A. IN 113
Habit view of Thelypteris sancta, inset showing arrangement of
Fic. 1. sori.
AMERICAN NUMBER
)OURNAL:
114 I'ERN VOLlJMt: 96
4 (200G]
Some
densQ & K.W. Dorman. stumps remain on
Littlo old Piniis the
still site,
hammock
but the area has succeeded a closed-canopy rockland
to forest
dominated hy hardwoods due was
suppression. This succession
to fire
m
hammock
probably accelerated by seed rain from a rockland about 125 to
hammock
Most
the east of the fern population. of this historical has been
cleared; a small remnant fragment was surveyed and was found not contain
to
hammock
The
Thelypteris SQiicta. forest floor in the historical lacks extensive
amounts exposed limestone where
of oolitic in contrast the area sancta
to T.
was
found.
Thelypteris species are not typically cultivated, except by fern enthusiasts,
and an internet search sancta found no evidence
for T. of cultivation
The
anywhere.
closest native occurrence the Florida population about
to
is
km
350 away in Cuba (Sanchez ah, 2006]. The species has probably gone
et
undiscovered in Florida due to rarity. Unlike most natural areas in Miami-
its
Dade County, the where was found has been poorly surveyed by
site
it
much
biologists because of the site of poor quality and difficult to access.
is
member
Thelypteris sancta probably a naturally occurring of the Florida
is
flora derived from wind-blown spores from Cuba or elsewhere in the Creater
Whether was
Antilles. the arrival in recent years or prior to European
unknown.
settlement Florida
in
is
Voucher: Florida, Miami-Dadl: County: Florida Navy Wells #23
City.
SW
SW
A
Preserve. Just east of 182 Ave. at theoretical 358 St. couple of
hammock
hundred
individuals rockland and under canopy Schhius
in a of
terebinthifohus on oolitic limestone. Easting 551780, Northing 2813288
(UTM17N, WGS84). 30 March 2006, Dradlcv 2644 (FTC, NY, UC, USFl.
AcKNOVVLHIJtiMl'NTS
Tho who mo
tliank Eric Floilos of Tnstitulc? for Rogional Conscirvaliun, was willi at thu liino of the
I
noUcung same
discovery, th(^ jilanls at Llie time did, Ciliristina Casado-Acorn and Emilie YoLing of
I
the Miami-Dade County i^nvironnieiilally Endangered Lands Program funding the plant
for
Navy
inventory of W(dls //2:J Preserve, Alan R. Smilli of the University of California for confirming
the Identification ofUie species and making ret;oinniendations on manuscript, Kirsten Hines of
t]i(^
The anonymous
hislitute for Regional (>)nservation for revitnv of tlu^ inanuscri[)t, an revic^wer, and
James Hif;key of Miami University for vahiahle suggestions on the manuscript.
Lrt'ERAriiKi': Caiv.d
Some
MoR-roN, C. V, t96:J. West hidian sp(H;ies of Thalyploris. Amer. Fmm'u 53:l-rif).
J,
New
Proctor, G. R. 1^89. Eerns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. M(Mn. York Card.
I3ot.
5:^:1-389.
C, M. and
SANcni:/., G. CaluiT' L. RI'Calado. 2()()fi. 'rhely]:)tnridaceae. El. Rep. Cuba, Scr. A. Pi. Vase.
11(13):1-124.
A
SMrrn, A. R. 1974. revised classification of Thelypteris subgenus Amauwpclla, Amor. Fern
J.
64:83-95.
WuNDKRLiN, and Volume Tho
R. p. B. F. Hansl;n. Flora of Florida, University Presses of
2(K}().
I.
Florida, Gainesville.