Polystichum lonchitis
Polystichum braunii
holly fern, mountain fern, northern holly fern, polystic faux-lonchitis
Braun's holly-fern, polystic de Braun
erect to occasionally ascending.
erect.
erect, not arching except at tip, 1–6 dm;
bulblets absent.
monomorphic, arching, 2–10 dm;
bulblets absent.
1/10–1/6 of blade, densely scaly;
scales light brown, gradually diminishing in size distally.
1/8–1/6 length of leaf, densely scaly;
scales light brown, gradually diminishing in size distally.
linear, often widest above middle, 1-pinnate, base narrowed.
broadly lanceolate, 2-pinnate;
base narrowed.
oblong to lanceolate to falcate, proximal pinnae ± deltate, rarely overlapping, in 1 plane, 0.5–3 cm, base truncate to oblique, acroscopic auricle well developed;
margins serrulate-spiny with teeth spreading;
apex acute, subapical tooth hardly smaller than apical tooth;
microscales dense, on abaxial surface only.
oblong-lanceolate or falcate, proximal pinnae ± rectangular, not overlapping, in 1 plane, 2–10 cm;
base oblique except proximal 3–4 pinnae, where auricles not developed;
apex acute, subapical and apical teeth same size;
microscales filiform to linear, lacking projections, dense abaxially, sparse adaxially.
entire or minutely dentate-erose.
ciliate.
dark brown.
brown.
± stalked, short-falcate to oblique-rhombic, acroscopic auricle well developed on proximal pinnules;
margins dentate, with slender bristle tips;
apex broadly acute.
= 82.
= 164.
Polystichum lonchitis
Polystichum braunii
The hybrid between Polystichum lonchitis and P. acrostichoides (= P. × hagenahii Cody) is discussed under P. acrostichoides. The hybrid with P. braunii (= P. × meyeri Sleep & Reichstein) is discussed under P. braunii. In the Georgian Bay area of Ontario, P. lonchitis hybridizes with Dryopteris goldieana to produce the peculiar × Dryostichum singulare W. H. Wagner (W. H. Wagner Jr., F. S. Wagner et al. 1992).
The spiny spores of P. lonchitis are distinctive and distinguish this from dwarfed forms of other 1-pinnate species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Because no diploid ancestors have been found, Polystichum braunii is thought to be an ancient tetraploid. Its sterile hybrid with P. acrostichoides, P. × potteri, is discussed under P. acrostichoides. Polystichum braunii × lonchitis has been reported from southeast Alaska (S. L. Welsh 1974). This hybrid has been cytologically confirmed in Europe and named P. × meyeri Sleep & Reichstein (A. Sleep and T. Reichstein 1967). It has narrower and less divided leaves than P. braunii and poorly developed auricles. Polystichum braunii × lonchitis was described by J. Ewan (1944), but the type (from British Columbia) is P. braunii × munitum (A. Sleep and T. Reichstein 1967). This latter hybrid is the postulated progenitor of P. setigerum (D. H. Wagner 1979). North American P. braunii has been segregated as var. purshii Fernald, distinguished from European populations (var. braunii) by having broader microscales.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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