Pityrogramma trifolia was fairly common in the small pastures and rocky banks along streams in Parque Nacional Las Orquideas.
- Habit
- Young leaf apex
- Developing crosier
- Lower leaf surface with acrostichoid sori
- white-farinose lower leaf surface
- White-farinose lower leaf surface
- Upper leaf surface
The growth habit of this plant (especially the orientation of the pinnae) is really interesting – do you know of any other Pityrogramma species that are like this? I can’t think of any. I don’t know P. trifoliata well, but have seen it once or twice.
This is the only species with pinnae of Pityrogramma that are not oriented in a flat plane. Broadly speaking, it is uncommon in ferns. Pellaea trifoliata, some filmy ferns, and some Schizaea come to mind as other examples.