Cheilanthes aemula Maxon:
Bolivia (South America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
United States (North America)

United States

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the key, Cheilanthes aemula is distinguished from North American populations of C . alabamensis by having 64 spores per sporangium rather than 32. In the flora, this species is known from about 10 localities in central and western Texas.

Stems short-creeping, usually 4--7 mm diam.; scales uniformly brown or slightly darker at base, linear-lanceolate, straight to slightly contorted, loosely appressed, persistent. Leaves clustered, 10--50 cm; vernation noncircinate. Petiole black to dark brown, rounded adaxially. Blade ovate-deltate, 3-pinnate to 3-pinnate-pinnatifid at base, 4--15 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 slightly larger than adjacent pair, somewhat inequilateral, proximal basiscopic pinnules conspicuously enlarged, 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--6 mm, abaxially and adaxially sparsely hirsute to glabrescent. False indusia marginal, slightly differentiated, 0.05--0.25 mm wide. Sori somewhat discontinuous, often concentrated on interrupted lateral lobes. Sporangia containing 64 spores. 2 n = 58.

Isotype for Cheilanthes aemula Maxon
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Verified from the card file of type specimens
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): E. Palmer
Year Collected: 1907
Locality: Vicinity of Victoria., Tamaulipas, Mexico, North America
Elevation (m): 320

Holotype for Cheilanthes aemula Maxon
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Verified from the card file of type specimens
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): E. Palmer
Year Collected: 1907
Locality: Vicinity of Victoria., Tamaulipas, Mexico, North America
Elevation (m): 320 to 320

Sporulating summer--fall. Rocky slopes and ledges, apparently confined to limestone; 100--500 m; Tex.; n Mexico.

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked