Pteris ×caridadiae Testo & J. E. Watkins is a sterile hybrid between Pteris podophylla and Pteris livida was recently discovered at a single site in the Savegre Valley near San Gerardo de Dota in the Cordillera Talamanca of central Costa Rica and described It is the first hybrid described among the large, tripartite-leaved Pteris of the neotropics. It can be distinguished from its parental taxa by the size of the laminar segments (smaller than P. livida, larger than P. podophylla), the presence of small spines on the petiole (vs larger spines on P. livida and no spines on P. podophylla) and herbaceous lamina (vs. chartaceous in P. livida and subcoriaceous in P. podophylla). This was the type collection.
This hybrid was found growing on a stream bank in disturbed soil near both parents. Gametophytes of P. livida and P. podophylla were growing together nearby.
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- Pinnule segment
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- Rachis-costa architecture
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- Pinna rachis and pinnule bases
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- Petiole cross-section
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- Leaf
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- Growth habit
Collection Data (W. Testo Testo 585)
Classification & Common Names
- Class: Polypodiopsida
- Family: Pteridaceae
- Genus: Pteris L.
- Species: Pteris ×caridadiae Testo & J.E. Watkins
- Var./Subsp.:
- Common name(s):
General Collection Data
- Date: 10-VII-2014
- Primary Collector & #: W. Testo Testo 585
- Collection Party: WL Testo, JE Watkins, J Pittermann, R Momin
- Det. History: WL Testo, July 2014
- Habitat: Wet montane forest
- Habit: Terrestrial
- Specimen Locations:
Additional Comments
Collection Location
- Location: – – – San José – Costa Rica.
- Coordinates: 9.549N, 83.803W
- Elevation: 2250m
