winged bristle fern

Trichomanes alatum Sw.

Winged bristle fern is a small epiphyte whose delicate fronds rise in tufts from a short, ascending or upright stem. In the Cuban flora, its blades are narrow and lance-shaped, with a thin, translucent texture. Most are divided into deep lobes, although occasional fronds are more finely divided. Sánchez (2000), Flora de la República de Cuba, Hymenophyllaceae

Botanical name

Trichomanes alatum Sw. is accepted in Hymenophyllaceae. The detailed morphology here follows the Cuban flora treatment of this species. Kew Plants of the World Online: Trichomanes alatum

Recognizing the plant

A conspicuous leafy wing runs along the upper stalk and continues along the entire central frond axis. Fine hairs branch into forks or three to five rays on the wings, veins and margins. The reproductive structures are single sori along the blade edge. Each sits within an immersed, bell-shaped or urn-shaped covering, from which a long, threadlike receptacle projects. These details describe Cuban plants; the flora notes that Lesser Antillean specimens can be larger. Sánchez (2000), Flora de la República de Cuba, Hymenophyllaceae

Native range

Kew records a native range in the Caribbean, Venezuela and Ecuador. In eastern Cuba, it inhabits humid mountain rainforests and cloud forests at about 600–1,800 m. It often grows on tree-fern trunks, occasionally on earth banks, under shade or filtered light. Kew Plants of the World Online: Trichomanes alatum Sánchez (2000), Flora de la República de Cuba, Hymenophyllaceae

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.