BONALBERTI PERONI, C., PERONI, A. &amp; PERONI, G. 2001. Contribución al conocimiento de la flora pteridológica de El Hierro (Islas Canarias). Bot. Complutensis 25: 289-297.  Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de los pteridófitos de El Hierro, la más occidental de las islas del archipiélago canario. En total se han censado 30 táxones pertenecientes a 12 familias. Las especies se acompañan de datos sobre su rareza y condiciones ecológicas en que se desarrollan.BONALBERTI PERONI, C., PERONI, A. &amp; PERONI, G. 2001. Contribution to the knowledge of the Pteridoligical Flora of El Hierro (Canary Islands). Bot. Complutensis 25: 289-297.  A study on the Pteridophyta of El Hierro, the western island of the Canary Archipelago, was realized. A census of 30 taxa subdivided in 12 families was made. Some notes have a greatest importance for the rareness of species or for ecological conditions where taxa vegetate

Bonalberti, C.

Peroni, A.

Peroni, G.

Portal de Revistas Científicas Complutenses

289
Botanica Complutensis ISSN: 0214-4565
2001, 25, 289-297
Contribution to the knowledge
of the Pteridological Flora of El Hierro
(Canary Islands)
Cleo BONALBERTI PERONI, Adalberto PERONI & Gabriele PERONI
Museo Insubrico di Scienze Naturali, Piazza Giovanni XXIII 4, 
21056 Indumo Olona (VA), Italy
Abstract
BONALBERTI PERONI, C., PERONI, A. & PERONI, G. 2001. Contribution to the knowledge
of the Pteridoligical Flora of El Hierro (Canary Islands). Bot. Complutensis 25: 289-297.
A study on the Pteridophyta of El Hierro, the western island of the Canary Archipelago,
was realized. A census of 30 taxa subdivided in 12 families was made. Some notes have a
greatest importance for the rareness of species or for ecological conditions where taxa ve-
getate.
Key words: Pteridophyta, distribution, Canary Islands, El Hierro.
Resumen
BONALBERTI PERONI, C., PERONI, A. & PERONI, G. 2001. Contribución al conocimiento
de la flora pteridológica de El Hierro (Islas Canarias). Bot. Complutensis 25: 289-297.
Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de los pteridófitos de El Hierro, la más occidental de las
islas del archipiélago canario. En total se han censado 30 táxones pertenecientes a 12 fami-
lias. Las especies se acompañan de datos sobre su rareza y condiciones ecológicas en que se
desarrollan.
Palabras clave: Pteridophyta, distribución, Islas Canarias, El Hierro.
INTRODUCTION
The Canary Islands are located between 27°37′ (Punta de la Restinga, El Hie-
rro) and 29°25′ (Punta de los Mosegos, Alegranza) of north latitude and between
13°20′ (Roque del Este) and 18°10′ (Punta de Orchilla, El Hierro) of west longitude
in conformity with the Greenwich meridian.
El Hierro is the smallest of the seven larger islands, with an area of 287 Km2, it
is also the westernmost in the archipelago, since it is situated ca. 145 Km WSW
away from Tenerife. Malpaso, with 1501 m in height is the upper most top in El
Hierro. This small volcanic island is also the youngest of the Canary Islands, it ap-
peared from the ocean between 7 and 9 million years ago, and the youngest areas
are 2-4 million years old.
The vegetation of El Hierro can be summarized as follows: a «base-stratum» up
to 400 m with halophytes and xerophytes (Euphorbia canariensis L., E. balsami-
fera Ait., E. obtusifolia Poir., Astydamia latifolia (L. fil.) Baill., etc.); a «transition
formation» whose limit is caused by the exposure to trade winds and the sun, bet-
ween 300 and 600 m in the northern coast and between 500 and 900 m in the sout-
hern coast (Juniperus turbinata Guss. subsp. canariensis (Guy.) Rivas-Mart et
al., Echium hierrense Webb ex Bolle, Maytenus canariensis (Loes.) Kunkel et
Sund., Visnea mocanera L. fil., etc.); and a «mountainous level», humid or arid in
conformity with exposure, which reaches the top of the mountains (Myrica faya
Ait., Erica arborea L., Pinus canariensis Chr. Smith ex DC, Laurus azorica
(Seub.) Franco, Picconia excelsa (Ait.) DC, Apollonias barbujana (Cav.) Bornm.,
etc.).
The pteridological flora in the Canary Islands is well known with regard to
some islands (Horn & Wells, 1996), while specific studies about El Hierro are in-
sufficient and rather vague regarding informations of discovery stations (Page,
1965; Benl & Sventenius, 1970). Some notes about pteridophytes in El Hierro are
included in articles relating to the whole archipelago (see Horn & Wells, 1996).
This study is the result of an expedition to El Hierro, during May 2000, and the
revision of the data mentioned in literature.
The taxonomic arrangement follows Pichi Sermolli (1977) and Tutin et al.
(1993), and name of Authors of taxa are abbreviated in accordance with Pichi Ser-
molli (1996).
Voucher specimens were deposited in the author’s herbarium and in the her-
barium of the Museo Insubrico di Storia Naturale di Induno Olona (VA), Italy.
LIST OF SPECIES
Selaginellaceae
Selaginella denticulata (L.) Spring
Rather frequent in humid places. 
We find it in the following places: Frontera, towards Nuestra Señora de la Can-
delaria, ca. 375 m, not very copious on walls; Between Valverde and Frontera,
from 400 to 1100 m, common along the road, on the rocks and at the border of the
laurisilva; San Andrés, ca. 920 m, very frequent on the walls; Between Valverde
and San Andrés, ca. 1130 m, very frequent at the border of laurisilva forest; Hoya
de El Pino, ca. 1000 m, some plants on the rocks at the border of laurisilva forest;
Between Jinama and Las Montañetas, ca. 900 m, on dry-walls, many big tufts; Bet-
ween Valverde and Tiñor, ca. 770 m, some specimens; San Andrés, El Garoé, ca.
C. Bonalberti et al. Contribution to the knowledge of the Pteridological Flora...
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2001, 25, 289-297 290
1100 m, some specimens on the rocks; Sabinosa, towards Pozo de la Salud, on the
rocks, some tufts.
Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze) A. Br.
Is mentioned for El Hierro by Hansen & Sunding (1993). We have not found it.
Selaginella selaginoides (L.) P. Beauv. ex Schrank et Mart.
Only a locality of this species is known at El Hierro mentioned by Page (1971).
This plant is considered rare (R) by Ormonde (1990).
Ophioglossaceae
Ophioglossum lusitanicum L.
Hansen & Sunding (1993) mentioned this species for El Hierro. We have not
found it.
Ophioglossum polyphyllum A. Br. 
Mentioned also by Hansen & Sunding (1993) for El Hierro, but we have not
found it during our expedition.
Davalliaceae
Davallia canariensis (L.) Sm.
It is very frequent in this island up to 1350 m on the rocks and walls, in the lau-
risilva sometimes grows epiphytic on Erica arborea and Laurus azoricum. As a cu-
riosity, we found D. canariensis on one roof near the most important square of Val-
verde.
Polypodiaceae
Polypodium macaronesicum A. E. Bobrov
(Polypodium cambricum L. subsp. macaronesicum (A. E. Bobrov) Fraser-Jenk.)
This species is very copious on the island too, especially on the rocks and low
walls up to 1350 m, in the laurisilva it is easy to find it as an epiphyte, especially on
Erica arborea.
Sinopteridaceae
Cheilanthes guanchica Bolle
Ormonde (1990) found this species in small populations in the Canary Is-
lands, and considered them as not well known and probably in danger. 
We found C. guanchica in several stations in El Hierro: on the road between
Valverde and Tiñor, ca. 760 m, about a hundred of tufts on walls and rocks; not far
from Frontera in direction to Valverde, ca. 500 m, some big tufts on the rocks; bet-
C. Bonalberti et al. Contribution to the knowledge of the Pteridological Flora...
Botanica Complutensis
2001, 25, 289-297291
ween El Pinar and La Restinga, ca. 515 m, about ten tufts; in lava flows in the
«Malpais» of La Restinga, ca. 330 m, several small patches; Binto, going to San-
tuario de la Virgen de los Reyes, four tufts on the wall, between 1150 and 1265 m;
between Binto and Malpaso, near Cruz de los Rey, ca. 1350 m, a lot of patches;
between Jinama and Las Montañetas, ca. 900 m, several tufts on the walls, in arid
zones. Growing with C. pulchella; Frontera, in Guinea place, on walls, several spe-
cimens.
Cheilanthes pulchella Bory ex Willd.
We found this taxon only in two places: between Jinama and Las Montañetas,
ca. 900 m, some little tufts on low-walls in an arid zone; between El Pinar and La
Restinga, on the rocks and walls at 515 m, two very big tufts. Not far away from
where we found several tufts of C. guanchica.
Cheilanthes maderensis Lowe
We have not found this species on El Hierro, but Hansen & Sunding (1993)
mentioned it for this island.
Notholaena marantae (L.) Desv. subsp. subcordata (Cav.) G. Kunkel
Very frequent on the rocks, the walls and in the laurisilva, with some large po-
pulations, to ca. 1320 m, in a station at Cruz de los Reyes.
Adiantaceae
Adiantum reniforme L.
We found this taxon in Frontera, on the road to Valverde, ca. 375 m. In this pla-
ce, few tufts on the walls were growing with a lot of Davallia canariensis, Notho-
laena marantae subsp. subcordata and Selaginella denticulata.
Adiantum capillus-veneris L.
We did not found it, although it is generically recorded in the whole archipe-
lago, and in El Hierro.
Hemionitidaceae
Anogramma leptophylla (L.) Link
This species is frequent in El Hierro. 
We found it in the following places: on the road between Valverde and Fron-
tera, in several places up to 900 m; between El Pinar and La Restinga, near El Fa-
yal, ca. 1300 m; Binto, on the road going to Santuario de los Reyes, ca. 1150 m,
very frequent; Binto, on the walls between 1215 and 1265 m, few rare tufts; Cruz
de los Reyes, ca. 1320 m, several specimens; Mirador de Jinama, ca. 1230 m, on
the rocks, some tufts; San Andres, in the laurisilva, ca. 1300 m, on the rocks;
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2001, 25, 289-297 292
Between Jinama and Las Montañetas, in arid zones, ca. 910 m, few rare individuals
in the lava flows; San Andrés, El Garoé, between 1000 and 1100 m, several spe-
cimens on rocks and walls.
Cosentinia vellea (Aiton) Tod. subsp. bivalens (Reichst.) Rivas Mart. et Salvo
We found this taxon in two places only: between El Pinar and La Restinga, ca.
515 m, several sparse tufts; La Restinga, in the crevices of lava streams of the
«Malpais», ca. 340 m, only one tuft.
Following Ormonde (1990) this species is in extinction danger. 
Hymenophyllaceae
Vandenboschia speciosa (Willd.) G. Kunkel
(Sin. Trichomanes speciosum Willd.)
We saw this species in one place: San Andrès, El Garoé, ca. 1100 m, in a small
cave, very humid, about 30 specimens.
Vandenboschia speciosa is listed as rare (R) in the red-book of the Pteri-
dophyta of the Canary Islands (Ormonde, 1990).
Dennstaedtiaceae
Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn
Very common everywhere, especially in Pinus canariensis Sweet ex Spreng fo-
rest, between 350 and 1100 m.
Aspleniaceae
Asplenium aethiopicum (Burm. f.) Bech. subsp. braithwaitii Ormonde
It is recorded by some authors as existent even if localized, in the «subbasale»
region of El Hierro, but we did not find it.
Ormonde (1990) considers this fern as a plant of conservation interest.
Asplenium onopteris L.
Not rare on the island, we found it in: between Valverde and Frontera, from
1100 to 1300 m, in Pinus canariensis, Erica arborea and Laurus azorica zone,
many individuals on the rocks; between Valverde and Frontera, near El Castaño,
ca. 400 m, some large specimens; San Andrés, in the laurisilva, between 1130 and
1300 m, copious on the rocks; Binto, going to Santuario de la Virgen de los Reyes,
ca. 1150 m; Cruz de los Reyes, ca. 1320 m, on rocks, many beautiful tufts; Mirador
de Jinama, ca. 1230 m, several specimens; Hoya de el Pino, ca. 1000 m, on the bor-
der of the forest, very common; between Valverde and San Andrés, in the laurisil-
va, ca. 1300 m, epiphytic on Erica arborea; between Jinama and Las Montañetas,
ca. 900 m, in crevices of the rocks, copious; San Andrés, going to El Garoé, bet-
ween 1000 and 1100 m, on the rocks, several tufts.
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Botanica Complutensis
2001, 25, 289-297293
Asplenium anceps Lowe ex Hook. et Grev.
Page (1971) said that one specimen of this species appeared in the El Golfo
area, ca. 1275 m, in the crevices of lava rocks.
This taxon is considered rare (R) by Ormonde (1990) and Hansen & Sunding
(1993) do not include it in the flora of Canary Islands.
Asplenium obovatum Viv. subsp. lanceolatum (Fiori) P. Silva
(Sin. Asplenium billotii F.W. Schultz)
This plant is rare in El Hierro. We found it in these places: between Valverde
and Tiñor, ca. 830 m, a tuft on a rock; between Jinama and Las Montañetas, ca. 900
m, copious in the most protected and humid zone. 
This taxon is also catalogued by Ormonde (1990) as a rare plant (R) in the red-
list of the Canary Islands pteridophytes.
Asplenium obovatum Viv. subsp. obovatum was once cited in this island (Hansen &
Sunding, 1993), but with reserve.
Asplenium trichomanes L. subsp. quadrivalens D.E. Mey.
This taxon is scarce in Canary Islands and has been cited mainly at low altitu-
des.
We found it in: Binto, before the turn-off to Malpaso, ca. 1350 m, ten tufts on
walls; Cruz de los Reyes, ca. 1320 m, rare, tufts on crevices of rocks; between Val-
verde and Frontera, ca. 1150 m, many scattered tufts on the rocks; between Jinama
and Las Montañetas, ca. 900 m, some tufts on very humid rocks.
Asplenium marinum L.
We found only one locality of this very interesting taxon, it stands out due to
the unusual altitude where it was growing: between Jinama and Las Montañetas,
ca. 910 m, one station of ca. 1.50 m long in a zone wetted by NW ocean breeze.
Asplenium marinum is included in the red-list of the canarian pteridophytes as
rare (R) by Ormonde (1990).
Asplenium hemionitis L.
Another taxon considered rare (R) in the red-list of the canarian pteridophytes
(Ormonde, 1990).
We found it only in one place: San Andrés, El Garoé, ca. 1100 m, about 15 spe-
cimens in two little and very humid caves.
Ceterach aureum (Cav.) Buch subsp. parvifolium (Benl et G. Kunkel) Ormonde
Well distributed in El Hierro, sometimes forming very large populations: On
the road between Valverde and Frontera, between 400 and 1150 m, on the rocks
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Botanica Complutensis
2001, 25, 289-297 294
and on the border of the laurisilva; Fuente de la Llania, ca. 750 m, some individuals
on the walls and rocks; Frontera, after the village, ca. 500 m, one tuft on the rock;
Between Frontera and San Andrés, at the border of laurisilva, ca. 1130 m, many
specimens, some of them about 60 cm tall; Hoya de el Pino, at the border of the
laurisilva, ca. 1100 m, few individuals on the rocks.
According to Ormonde (1990a) we found only the subsp. parvifolium, easily re-
cognizable for its large spore size, in our specimens the spore size was (39)-47,56-
(54) (m, obtained after measuring 100 spores.
Hansen & Sunding (1993) recorded for El Hierro C. aureum var. aureum only.
This taxon is considered by Ormonde (1990) as rare (R) in the red-list of the ca-
narian pteridophytes too.
Athyriaceae
Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth
Recorded as rare in El Hierro (Benl, 1967; Hansen and Sunding, 1993), but we
did not found it.
Cystopteris viridula (Desv.) Desv.
This plant is common only in humid areas (caves, laurisilva, etc.).
We found it in the following places: between Frontera and San Andrés, ca.
920 m, on the walls, several tufts; between Frontera and San Andrés, at the border
of laurisilva, ca. 1130 m, several individuals on rocks; between El Pinar and 
La Restinga, near El Fayal,ca. 1300 m, at the border of laurisilva, several tufts;
between Valverde and Frontera, ca. 1300 m, in laurisilva, very common on
rocks; between Jinama and Las Montañetas, 910 m, several specimens on rocks in
humid and cool zones; San Andrés, going to El Garoé, from 1000 to 1100 m,
some tufts on walls; San Andrés, El Garoé, 1100 m, several specimens in the 
caves.
Dryopteridaceae
Dryopteris oligodonta (Desv.) Pic. Serm.
This wonderful fern is very common in the forests, with large populations.
We found D. oligodonta in these places: between Valverde and Frontera,
from 400 to 1300 m, very common; Binto, going to Santuario de la Virgen de los
Reyes, ca. 1150 m, some specimens in the meadows; Pedras de las Hermanas, ca.
1300 m, many specimens; Mirador de Jinama, ca. 1230 m, some plants in the wo-
ods; Hoya de El Pino, from 1000 to 1100 m, very abundant at the border of the
laurisilva.
Polystichum setiferum (Forssk.) T. Moore ex Woyn.
Is also indicated in El Hierro, but we did not found it.
C. Bonalberti et al. Contribution to the knowledge of the Pteridological Flora...
Botanica Complutensis
2001, 25, 289-297295
DISCUSSION
The present work, in our opinion, give an enough indicative idea about the pte-
ridological flora of El Hierro, although further studies are needed. The isle is re-
markable by itself because of the number of taxa that have been found and the in-
terest of some of them. A census of 30 taxa (out of 54 existing in the whole
archipelago), subdivided into 17 genera and 12 families, was made. 
Particulary interesting is Cheilanthes guanchica, which is a species in danger
about which Ormonde (1990) wrote: « Populações muito pouco conhecidas». Other
remarkable species for their intrinsic rareness are Vandenboschia speciosa and As-
plenium hemionitis.
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens has been always recorded at low
altitudes in the Canary Islands, while, according to our observations, in El Hierro it
is found up to 1350 m. Asplenium marinum is usually found at a low altitude (in
continental Europe rarely over 100 m) and close to the sea, with the exception of
only one French population, reported by Prelli & Boudrie (1992) from Mayenne, in
which A. marinum is more than 60 Km far from the sea. The only locality we found
in El Hierro is some kilometers far from the coast and about 910 m above sea level.
It is interesting to note that nine (26%) of the taxa living in El Hierro are in the
red-list of canarian pteridophytes published by Ormonde (1990).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thanks Mrs. Diana Lo Prete (Sumirago-Varese) for English trans-
lation.
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Original recibido: 9 de Agosto de 2000
Versión final recibida: 6 de Junio de 2001
C. Bonalberti et al. Contribution to the knowledge of the Pteridological Flora...
Botanica Complutensis
2001, 25, 289-297297


Contribución al conocimiento de la flora pteridológica de El Hierro (Islas Canarias)

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Contribución al conocimiento de la flora pteridológica de El Hierro (Islas Canarias)

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