Lellingeria calolepis 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
-
Type
Type. Bolivia. Dept. Cochabamba: Prov. Chapare, carretera nueva a Santa Cruz, pasando la represa de Corani, 17°10' S, 65°54' W, 3150 m, 29 Sep 2002, I. Jiménez & A. Moguel 1749 (holotype, LPB; isotype, UC).
-
Description
Latin Diagnosis - Species haec a Lellingeria majore similis, a qua petiolo tenuiore (usque 0.7 mm lato), segmentis maioribus (usque 6 cm. longis) et segmentorum margine crenulato differt.
Species Description - Plants epiphytic or epipetric; fronds erect to arcuate, determinate; rhizome short-creeping, dorsiventral, with ventral root insertion, scaly, the scales 4-5 x 0.3-0.4 mm, lanceolate, the apex long-attenuate, clathrate golden brown, ciliate, the cilia simple, present on scale margins, surface, and apex (apical cilia sometimes furcate); petiole 2-5 x 0.6-0.7 mm, dark brown, terete densely pubescent, the hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long, spreading, simple or 1-furcate, 2- to 3-celled, whitish; lamina to 20-35(-40) cm long, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate chartaceous, deeply pinnatisect, 20-40 pairs of segments, abruptly reduced at the base with 5-9 basal segments 2/3 shorter than the median ones, the lowermost auriculiform, broadest above the base, not showing periodic constrictions, the apex abruptly reduced, pinnatifid, or ending in a subconform segment; rachis straight, with dark sclerenchyma visible on both sides, sparsely pubescent abaxially, the hairs 0.1 mm long, appressed, simple, 2-celled, whitish to dark brown, densely pubescent adaxially, the hairs 0l-0.2 mm long, spreading, simple, 1- to 2-celled, castaneous; segments ca. (2-)3-6 cm x 3-4 mm, plane, set 80-90° to rachis, widened and symmetric at the base, short decurrent basiscopically, slightly cuneate acroscopically, the base attached parallel on the rachis (both sides inserted along the same radius), not lobulate or overlapping the base of the next segment, the apex acute to obtuse, the margin crenulate, plane, abaxial lamina surface sparsely pubescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis abaxially, adaxial lamina surface glabrous; sinuses about the same width as the segments-venation pinnate, with 7—8(—10) pairs of veins per segment; costae with blackish sclerenchyma obscured by laminar tissue on both sides, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis abaxially; veins simple, with blackish sclerenchyma restricted to base and obscured by laminar tissue, ending in hydathodes that lack calcareous deposits; sori medial, rounded, sometimes protruding beyond the margin, to 8(—10) pairs per segment, superficial or slightly sunken; sporangial capsules glabrous.
-
Discussion
Lellingeria calolepis resembles L. major, especially in lamina size, size and color of the rhizome scales (ciliate in both), and distribution of the indument along the frond. Lellingeria major is distinct because of its wider petiole (1-1.2 mm) and segments that are shorter than 3 cm and subcoriaceous with flat margins. On the other hand, L. calolepis has a petiole to 0.7 mm wide and segments that can reach up to 6 cm long and are chartaceous with crenulate margins.
Some specimens (Jiménez & Moguel 1731-UC) are smaller than the typical but agree with the species in all other aspects of the rhizome scales and indument. I attribute the smaller size to their epipetric habit, in contrast with the epiphytic habit of the others.The longer-frond forms of Lellingeria calolepi may resemble L. flagellipinnata by having long segments and pendent fronds. However, L. flagellipinnata is readily distinguished by the ascending segments, 30-45° to the rachis, whereas L. calolepis has pat segments, set 80-90° to the rachis. -
Distribution
Andes of Peru and Bolivia at 3150-3450 m elevation.
Cochabamba Bolivia South America| Cusco Peru South America|