| The remaining three species of Huperzia
can be challenging to distinguish. The characters of leaf shape, taken
from the Flora of North America, have proven frustrating to many readers.
I resort to the geographic area as the primary character, based on the
current determination of our Wisconsin specimens by experts, because of
the clear separation of H. porophila from the other two species
in Wisconsin. As a practical matter, the chance of error introduced through
the use of the range as a primary character is probably small compared
to the chance of error based on leaf shape. The reader is referred to the Huperzia web pages for flora of North America, Vol. 2 for the full key and complete characters. |
| 2. Plants restricted to the driftless area of southwestern
Wisconsin, mainly on rocks (especially wet, shaded, sandstone);
leaves lanceolate with sides nearly parallel; the number of stomates
on the upper (adaxial) surface of each leaf is 2-50. Counting the
stomates will require the use of a microsope. |
|
Huperzia
porophila |
| 2. Plants restricted to extreme northern Wisconsin,
near Lake Superior in Bayfield, Douglas and Ashland Counties, on
rocks or sometimes on wet soil; leaves lanceolate (as above) or
ovate or triangular (if leaf shape is inconclusive, then you must
resort to the following count of stomates); the number of stomates
on the upper (adaxial) surface of each leaf is >60. |
|
3. |
|
|
Key to ferns (start)
Glossary of terms
Introduction
to ferns
List of all Pteridophytes
Contact the author
Acknowledgments
UW-Green
Bay Herbarium homepage
|
