Psilotum nudum

• Overview
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes

Overview

Rootless, leafless, dichotomously branching plant forming low-growing clumps ; native to Hawaii and widespread in the tropics. The plant produces abundant spores in globose sporangia about 1/8 inch in diameter, these borne along the edges of the wiry, angular stems. The spores were collected and used by the Hawaiians in a manner similar to talcum powder.

This is one of two species of the genus that are native to the Hawaiian Islands. Note the dichotomously branching stem, minute enations , and lateral synangia which release hundreds of white spores. Note that each synangium consists of 3 fused eusporangia on a very short lateral branch.

Common Names

Description

Family Psilotaceae

Plants perennial , terrestrial or epiphytic, with corallike, rhizoid-bearing, branched, subterranean axes. Roots absent. Aerial shoots simple or dichotomously branched; appendages leaflike or bractlike, alternate to subopposite, veinless or 1-veined, less than 1 cm. Synangia globose , of 2--3 fused, homosporous eusporangia, solitary in axils of shoot appendages, dehiscing loculicidally. Spores many, reniform , not green. Gametophytes subterranean, mycotrophic, fleshy , elongate , and branched.

Genera 2, species 4--8: worldwide in tropical regions .John W. Thieret "Psilotaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Genus Psilotum

Plants terrestrial , sometimes epiphytic. Aerial shoots often clumped, simple proximally, dichotomously branched distally, 3(--several) -ridged. Appendages minute, bractlike, borne distally on ridges of aerial shoots, sterile appendages subulate , those subtending synangia 2-lobed. Synangia ± globose , obscurely 3-lobed.

Species 2 or 3: tropical and warm temperate regions ."Psilotum". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Physical Description

Biology

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 6-9" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 7.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Light Shade.

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Prodr. aethéogam. 112. 1805

Name verified on 31-Aug-1998 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 14-Feb-2003

Similar Species

Members of the genus Psilotum

There are approximately 20 species in this genus:

P. bernarolii · P. complanatum (Flatfork Fern) · P. complanatum var. flaccidum · P. complanatum var. fosbergii · P. complanatum var. latissimum · P. complanatum var. mexicanum · P. flabellatum · P. flaccidum · P. intermedium · P. nudum (Moa) · P. nudum var. fallicinum · P. nudum var. molesworthii · P. nudum var. normale · P. triquetrum · P. triquetrum var. fallacinum · P. triquetrum var. gracile · P. triquetrum var. latum · P. triquetum · P. truncatum · P. × intermedium

Bibliography

• Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963–. Flora of southern Africa. (F SAfr)
• Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage. (Zander ed14)
• Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960–. Flora zambesiaca. (F Zamb)
• FNA Editorial Committee. 1993–. Flora of North America. (F NAmer) 17.
• Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. (Dict Gard)
• Johns, R. J. 1991. Pteridophytes of Tropical East Africa. (Ferns TE Afr)
• Lellinger, D. B. 1989. The ferns and fern-allies of Costa Rica, Panama, and the Chocó (Part 1:Psilotaceae through Dicksoniaceae). Pteridologia 2A:21.
• Mickel, J. T. & A. R. Smith. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88:1-1054. (Ferns Mexico)
• Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970–. Flora of Thailand. (F Thailand)
• Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952–. Flora of tropical East Africa. (F TE Afr)
• Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986–. European garden flora. (Eur Gard F)
• Zhong Guo & Hua Jing. 1993. China floral encyclopaedia. (China FlEncy)
• Cooper-Driver,G. 1977. Chemical evidence for separating the Psilotaceae from the Filicales. Science 198: 1260--1262.
• White, R.A., D.W. Bierhorst, P.G. Gensel, D.R. Kaplan, and W.H. Wagner Jr. 1977. Taxonomic and morphological relationships of the Psilotaceae: A symposium. Brittonia 29: 1--68.

More Info

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• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 15, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 59 providers.
• MBLWHOI Library: Universal Biological Index and Organizer. uBio.org accessed July 17, 2008.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 30, 2008)

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 15, 2007:

• Australian National Herbarium
• , Australian National Herbarium
• Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Virtual Herbarium Darwin Core format
• GBIF-Spain, CUBA: Herbario de la Academia de Ciencias, La Habana, Cuba: HAC-Pteridophyta
• GBIF-Spain, CUBA:Herbario del Jardín Botánico Nacional, La Habana, Cuba: HAJB-Pteridophyta
• GBIF-Spain, Jardín Botánico de Córdoba: Herbarium COA
• GBIF-Spain, Real Jardin Botanico
• , Vascular Plant Herbarium
• Herbarium of the University of Aarhus, The AAU Herbarium Database
• Herbier de la Guyane, Herbier de la Guyane
• Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
• , Biodiversidad de Costa Rica
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, Plants of Papua New Guinea
• USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
• University of Alabama Biodiversity and Systematics, Herbarium

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2644339
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-17008
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13728725
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:114364-3
• GRIN Nomen Number: 30219
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 17008
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 212103-2
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PPPSI01020
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: PSNU
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 57202

Footnotes

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