drooping forkedfern
Dicranopteris flexuosa (Schrad.) Underw.
Dicranopteris flexuosa is a tropical fern in the Gleicheniaceae family, found in Neotropical regions including Brazil, Colombia, and others. It is commonly known as drooping forkedfern and is noted for its ecological role in tropical and subtropical forests.
Description
Dicranopteris flexuosa is a species of tropical fern in the family Gleicheniaceae, widely distributed across the Neotropics. It is found in various locations, including Itacolomi State Park in Brazil and several regions in Colombia. The species is known for forming dense thickets in disturbed and open habitats, playing a key ecological role by stabilizing soil, moderating microclimates, and promoting forest succession through rapid clonal growth and stress tolerance. Though often removed in forest management due to its dense growth, D. flexuosa may enhance ecosystem recovery by protecting soil and influencing plant community development.
Other common names
drooping forkedfern
Distribution
Itacolomi State Park, Calais, MG, Brazil · BR · Reserva Nacional Natural Puinawai | ReservaNacional Natural Nukak SFF Iguaque | Parque Nacional Natural Sierra de la Macarena · Barrancabermeja | Bucaramanga | Charta | Curití | Floridablanca | Girón | Los Santos · Antioquia, Boyacá, Caquetá, Cauca, Cesar, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Guainía, Meta, Santander, Valle, Vaupés · Sierra De La Macarena · Alabama · Argentina Northeast · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil Northeast · Brazil North · Brazil Southeast · Brazil South · Brazil West-Central · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Florida · French Guiana · Galápagos · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Leeward Is. · Mexico Gulf
Synonyms
Dicranopteris scalpturataPteris dichotomaDicranopteris pumilaMertensia flexuosaGleichenia flexuosaMertensia rigidaSticherus dichotomusMertensia pumilaMertensia scalpturataDicranopteris rigidaGleichenia flexuosa f. monstrosaGleichenia flexuosa f. zuccariniiMertensia pumilaGleichenia rigidaDicranopteris flexuosa f. monstrosa
