Pteris vittata
Pteris tripartita
Chinese brake, Chinese ladder brake, ladder brake
giant brake
stout, short-creeping, densely scaly;
scales pale brown.
stout, short-creeping, densely and conspicuously scaly;
scales pale brown.
clustered, 1–10 dm.
clustered, 1–2 m. Petiole straw-colored to brownish red, to more than 1 m, scaly proximally, otherwise glabrous at maturity.
green to pale brown, 1–30 cm, densely scaly;
scales dense proximally, extending to and along rachis.
oblanceolate, 1-pinnate, (15–)25–50(–80) × (6–)13–25 cm;
rachis not winged.
deltate to pentagonal, pedate, ultimate divisions pinnately divided, 1–2 × 1–2 m;
rachis not winged.
of blade numerous, linear-oblong to linear-lanceolate, to 19 × 6 mm, margins entire or serrulate, apex obtuse and rounded to acute;
terminal segments 3–4 cm longer and more tapering than lateral segments.
numerous, separated proximally, closely spaced to barely overlapping distally, not remaining green through winter, not decurrent on rachis, not articulate to rachis, linear-lanceolate to linear-attenuate, simple, 2–18 cm × 4–9 mm;
base asymmetrically cordate to widened or truncate;
margins serrulate, prominently so near apex;
apex acuminate, attenuate, or acute;
scales of rachis grading into uniseriate hairs on abaxial costae, or hairs absent on abaxial costae;
proximal pinnae not divided or lobed.
few, closely spaced, remaining green through winter, not decurrent on rachis, not articulate to rachis, oblong-lanceolate, 1–3-forked, to 7 × 6 dm;
base asymmetrical, acute;
apex acute;
rachis and costae glabrate or with minute hairs, especially near axils of proximal pinnae; penultimate pinnules linear to linear-lanceolate, pinnatifid, separated, not remaining green through winter, not articulate to rachis.
free, forked.
anastomosing near costae and costules, becoming forked and free near margins of ultimate segments.
narrow, blade tissue exposed abaxially.
narrow, blade tissue exposed abaxially.
= 116.
Pteris vittata
Pteris tripartita
Pteris vittata has escaped from cultivation. It is found on almost any calcareous substrate, such as old masonry, sidewalks, building crevices, and nearly every habitat in southern Florida with exposed limestone, notably pinelands. It is scattered throughout Florida and is sporadic, becoming less frequent to rare northward in the coastal plain.
Pteris vittata varies exceedingly in size, density of scales on the rachis, presence or absence of hairs on the abaxial costae, and overall color and aspect of the leaf. As a result, it may occasionally bear a resemblance to forms of P. × delchampsii W. H. Wagner & Nauman, the hybrid between P. bahamensis and P. vittata.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
LA Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
