Mickelia scandens is native to southeastern Brazil. On Santa Catarina Island it is found in older, secondary Atlantic Forest. Lomariopsis marginata is also a hemiepiphyte that grows on the island in the same habitat.
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- Habit (climbing)
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- Habit (terrestrial)
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- Pinnae
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- Rachis
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- Pinna base
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- Venation
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- Rhizome scales
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- Rhizome and petiole base
Nice pictures! I love this genus, especially because it is sister to Elaphoglossum.
If you have easy access to this species, it would be interesting to make a cross section of the stem [with a razor blade]. The stem ground tissue of most ferns is white, but in several species of Mickelia it is green. According to Moran et al. (2010), this might be a synapomorphy for the genus.
Thanks. I’m sure I will see this species again in the near future. I’ll make a cross section of the stem. I’m also going to look for gametophytes.
Hi Nathan,
You should definitely look for gametophytes! It would be really great to find them and document the growth habit of this plant. It looks like we don’t have any true hemiepiphytes recorded yet for Mickelia, but it would make sense.
I am assuming the gametophytes would establish terrestrially. Looking on rotting logs might be a good start. Also, check if the roots of the climbers ever lose contact with the soil.
Really great species!
Wes
Thanks. I’ll look on rotting logs for the gametophytes and post images if I find some.