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2 Leaf margins fringed with paired disclike scales; soral involucres 5-15 per leaf; leaf blades 2 cells thick between the veins | |
2 Leaf margins fringed with dark stellate hairs; soral involucres 1-6 per leaf; leaf blades 1 cell thick between the veins. | |
3 Midvein extending to the apex of the leaf blade; involucral lips not distinct from the blade in color; leaves usually < 1 cm long; soral involucres usually 1 per leaf; [widespread in our area] | |
3 Midvein absent or not extending past the midpoint of the leaf blade; involucral lips dark-margined; soral involucres 1-6 per leaf; [of FL peninsula]. | |
2 Gametophytes filamentous in part or in whole, forming felt-like mats. | |
3 Gametophytes strictly filamentous; [of inland physiographic provinces, on ceilings and back walls of rock grottos] | |
3 Gametophytes filamentous and also bearing flattened blades tipped by gemmae; [of rotting wood in the Coastal Plain] | |
5 Leaves glabrous or with simple hairs; rhizomes densely covered with dark-colored hairs | |
6 Rhizomes erect, the leaves clustered at the tip; leaves 1-pinnatifid; [of rotting wood in the Coastal Plain] | |
6 Rhizomes long-creeping, the leaves scattered along the rhizome; leaves 1-pinnatifid to 1-2 pinnate-pinnatifid; [of inland physiographic provinces, of moist rock]. | |
7 Leaves lacking stellate hairs; [of inland provinces, rarely Coastal Plain of AL and MS]. | |
8 Rhizomes filiform, < 0.5 mm in diameter, glabrous or with sparse light-colored hairs; indusium ("involucre") bivalvate (deeply divided into 2 flaps); receptacle not exserted from between the deeply bilobed indusium; margins of finest leaf divisions with sharp teeth pointing towards the division apex (at 20× magnification) | |
8 Rhizomes moderately stout, 0.8-1.5 mm in diameter, densely clad with dark-colored hairs; indusium ("involucre") tubular or funnelform, sometimes slightly 2-lobed; receptacle long and whiplike, exserted from the mouth of the tubular (slightly bilobed) indusium; margins of finest leaf divisions entire or with obscure crenations (at 20× magnification) |