Anemia tomentosa (Savigny) Sw., Syn. Fil.

Smith, Alan R. & Kessler, Michael, 2017, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XIII. Anemiaceae, Phytotaxa 329 (1), pp. 80-86 : 84

Anemia tomentosa (Savigny) Sw., Syn. Fil. 157. 1806.

Range:— Bolivia ( CH, CO, LP, SC, TA) to eastern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.

Ecology:— Common; terrestrial in deciduous to semideciduous forests, often on rocky slopes; to 3200 m. Has abundant essential oils with mycotoxic properties ( Pinto et al. 2009).

Notes:— Variable, probably comprising a species complex, the elements differing in part by different ploidy levels. Spores are often abnormally developed ( Giacosa 2014). Variety anthriscifolia (Schrad.) Mickel, the only variety in Bolivia, is triploid, with apogamic reproduction ( Mickel 2016). Mickel (2016) recognized two other varieties: var. tomentosa (C. Presl) Mickel from Mexico, Hispaniola, Colombia, and Venezuela, and var. tomentosa from southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, and Uruguay. There is considerable variation in plant size, rhizome length, petiole color and thickness, relative length of the fertile pinnae, and laminar dissection.