''Elaphoglossum serpens'' is a rare species of

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

that grows only on

Cerro de Punta Cerro de Punta or just Cerro Punta is the highest peak in Puerto Rico, rising to above sea level.As of February, 1981, the US Geological Survey reports the height as 1,328 meters. (See''Geographic Names Information System: Feature Query Result ...

, the highest mountain in

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

. The fern grows at one location, where there are 22 known specimens. It was federally listed as an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

of the United States in 1993.USFWS
Recovery Plan for Puerto Rican Endangered Ferns (7 spp.).
January 1995. The fern was described in 1947 from specimens found at

Monte Jayuya Monte Jayuya is the second highest peak of Puerto Rico measuring above sea level. The mountain is located in the Cordillera Central, on the border between the municipalities of Jayuya ( Barrio Saliente) and Ponce (Barrio Anón). The peak is l ...

. This habitat was cleared for construction and the plant was

extirpated Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...

. It was later located on Cerro de Punta. This fern is an

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

which grows on the trunks of the tree species '' Lyonia rubiginosa'' var. ''stahlii''. There are only six trees that together host the 22 ferns. This mountain summit is coveted for its ideal location for communications facilities and construction of these facilities has led to destruction of part of the forest there.USFWS
3 Puerto Rican Ferns: Five-year Review.
January 2010. This fern produces a few fronds of two different types. The sterile frond is up to 19 centimeters long with a blade at the end measuring up to 8 centimeters long by 3.5 wide. The fertile frond is up to 18 centimeters long and has a smaller blade, up to 4 centimeters long and only about a centimeter wide. The fern grows on mossy tree trunks in the

elfin forest Dwarf forest, elfin forest, or pygmy forest is an uncommon ecosystem featuring miniature trees, inhabited by small species of fauna such as rodents and lizards. They are usually located at high elevations, under conditions of sufficient air humi ...

on the highest peak on the island of Puerto Rico. This

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud c ...

has a short, dense

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

no more than about 7 meters tall. It is very wet, windy, and has saturated soils poor in nutrients. Because this plant is known from only one location,

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

or disturbance in that area could result in the

extinction Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

of the species. The mountain peak was strongly impacted by

Hurricane Hugo Hurricane Hugo was a powerful Cape Verde tropical cyclone that inflicted widespread damage across the northeastern Caribbean and the Southeastern United States in September 1989. Across its track, Hugo affected approximately 2 million peop ...

in 1989. Many permits have been requested by entities interested in building structures in the area, an activity that has caused plant destruction in the past.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
Dryopteridaceae Endemic flora of Puerto Rico Plants described in 1947 {{Dryopteridaceae-stub