Lellingeria bishopii Labiak

  • Authority

    Labiak Evangelista, Paulo H. 2013. Grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae). I. . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 111: 1--130. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Polypodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lellingeria bishopii Labiak

  • Type

    Type. Ecuador. Loja: Parque Nacional Podocarpus, Cajanuma park entrance, approx. 5 km E of the Loja-Vilcabomba Rd., 04°17'45" S, 78°59'36" W, 2500 m, 16 Dec 2006, M. Sundue 1159 (holotype, NY; isotype, UC).

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Species haec a Lellingeria barbense ex Costa Rica similis, a qua basi segmentorum symmetrici, sine uno lobo a superficiem acroscopicam differt. In L. barbense, basis segmentorum est asymmetrica, unus lobus in superficiem acroscopicam formans.

    Species Description - Plants epiphytic, fronds pendent, determinate; rhizome short-creeping to ascending, dorsiventral, with radial root insertion, scaly, the scales 4-6 × 0.4-0.6 mm, linear-lanceolate the apex long-attenuate, clathrate, dark castaneous, ciliate, the cilia simple, present of scale margins and apex; petiole 1-3 cm x 0.6-0.8 mm, dark brown, terete, densely to moderately pubescent, the hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long, spreading, simple to 1-furcate, 1- to 3-celled, whitish; lamina ca. 25 cm long, linear-elliptic, membranaceous, deeply pinnatisect, 30-45 pairs of segments, gradually reduced at the base with 4-6 basal segments about 2/3 shorter than the median ones, the lowermost auriculiform, broadest near the middle, sometimes showing periodic constrictions, the apex gradually reduced, pinnatifid, not ending in a subconform apical segment; rachis straight, with dark sclerenchyma visible on both sides, glabrescent to sparsely pubescent on both sides, the hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long, simple or 1-furcate 1- to 3-celled, whitish; segments 1-1.5 × 0.2-0.3 cm, plane, set 8O-85º to rachis, widened and symmetrical at the base, short-decurrent on both sides, sometimes slightly cuneate acroscopically, the base attached parallel on the rachis (both sides inserted along the same radius), short-lobulate, the lobule not overlapping the base of the next segment, the apex acute, the margin crenulate, plane, with branched hairs similar to those of the rachis, abaxial lamina surface sparsely pubescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis adaxially, adaxial lamina surface glabrous; sinuses the same width as the segments or to 3 times wider; venation pinnate, with 4-6 pairs of veins per segment; costae with blackish sclerenchyma obscured by laminar tissue on both sides or only partially visible abaxially, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis; veins simple, without blackish sclerenchyma, ending in hydathodes that lack calcareous deposits; sori medial, rounded, not protruding beyond the costa and margin, up to 6(-8) pairs per segment, superficial to slightly sunken; sporangial capsules glabrous.

  • Discussion

    Lellingeria bishopii belongs to the subsessilis clade of Labiak et al. (2010b) and is characterized by having symmetrical segments with the base attached parallel on the rachis, ciliate rhizome scales, crenulate segment margins, and membranaceous laminae.

    The most similar species is Lellingeria barbensis from Costa Rica, which differs by having asymmetrical segments that are long-decurrent basiscopically and cuneate acroscopically, forming a conspicuous lobule on the acroscopic side, and obliquely attached to the rachis. In contrast, L. bishopii has segments that are symmetrical or, if slightly cuneate acroscopically, not forming a conspicuous lobule. Additionally, the petiole in L. barbensis is shorter (to 0.5 cm), and the segments tend to be shorter and broader (10 x 2.5 mm) than in L. bishopii (15x2 mm). Lellingeria bishopii is also similar (but not closely related) to L. amplisora, sharing with that species the crenulate segment margins. The latter differs by having longer segments (to 4 cm long), subcoriaceous laminae, and about 28 pairs of sori per segment. In contrast, L. bishopii has segments about 1.5 cm long, membranaceous laminae, and up to 6 pairs of sori per segment.

    The epithet honors the American pteridologist Luther Earl Bishop (1943-1993), an expert in grammitid ferns.

  • Distribution

    Colombia and Ecuador at 2200-3000 m elevation.

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