Monographs Details – Flora of Las Orquideas National Park

Monographs Details:

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 suspensa (L.) A.R.Sm. & R.C.Moran

Synonyms:

Polypodium suspensum L., Ctenopteris suspensa (L.) Copel., Grammitis suspensa (L.) Proctor, Polypodium jubiforme Kaulf., Ctenopteris jubiformis (Kaulf.) J.Sm., Grammitis jubiformis (Kaulf.) Proctor, Polypodium jubiforme var. delicatulum Christ, Polypodium saccatum Fée, Polypodium subcapillare Christ, Ctenopteris subcapillaris (Christ) Copel., Grammitis subcapillaris (Christ) F.Seym., Ctenopteris rhizophorae Copel., Polypodium confusum J.Sm.

Description:

Species Description - Plants epiphytic; fronds pendent, indeterminate; rhizome erect, radial, with ventral root insertion, scaly, the scales 2-3(-4) x 0.2-0.3 mm, lanceolate, the apex short-attenuate, clathrate, dark brown, glabrous throughout; petiole 0.5-l(-2) cm x 0.7 mm, dark brown, narrowly winged, glabrescent or sparsely pubescent, the hairs ca. 0.2 mm long, appressed, simple or 1-furcate, 1- to 3-celled, whitish; lamina 15-30(-40) cm long, linear to linear-lanceolate, membranaceous, deeply pinnatisect, 40-80(-90) pairs of segments, abruptly reduced at the base with 2-6 basal segments shorter than the median ones, the lowermost auriculiform and decurrent onto petiole base, broadest above the base, but showing periodic constrictions, the apex abruptly reduced, pinnatifid, not ending in a conform or subconform segment; rachis straight, with dark sclerenchyma visible on both sides, sparsely pubescent abaxially, glabrescent adaxially, hairs ca. 0.1 mm long, appressed, entire or 1-furcate, 1- to 3-celled, whitish; segments ca. 1.5-2 x 0.2-0.4 cm, plane to convolute, set 60-75° to rachis, widened and asymmetric at the base, decurrent basiscopically, cuneate acroscopically, the base attached parallel on the rachis (i.e., both sides inserted along the same radius), not lobulate or overlapping the base of the next segment, the apex acute to obtuse, the margin entire to slightly crenate on both sides, glabrous, abaxial lamina surface glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis abaxially, adaxial lamina surface glabrous; sinuses about the same size or twice as broad as the segments; venation pinnate, with (3-)5-8(-10) pairs of veins per segment; costae with blackish sclerenchyma obscured by laminar tissue on both sides, sparsely pubescent abaxially, the hairs similar to those of the rachis abaxially, glabrous adaxially; veins simple, without blackish sclerenchyma, ending in hydathodes without calcareous deposits; sori medial, rounded, not protruding beyond the costa and margin, (2-)4-6 (-10) pairs per segment, deeply sunken; sporangial capsules glabrous.

Discussion:

Lellingeria suspensa is one of the most widespread and variable species in the genus. It is characterized mainly by its glabrous rhizome scales, dark sclerenchyma exposed on both sides of the rachis, lamina and rachis glabrescent (the hairs sparse or absent), base of the segments cuneate acroscopically and decurrent basiscopically, fronds with indeterminate growth and often producing periodic constrictions along the lamina due to seasonal growth periods, and sunken son.

The variation in this species is remarkable, especially concerning its size, laminae shape, and orientation of the pinnae. Central American specimens (described as Polypodium subcapillare H. Christ) and some specimens from the Andes (described as Polypodium rhizophorae Copel.) tend to have longer segments (and consequently a broader, linear-elliptic lamina) with more or less symmetrical bases and numerous sori per segment (up to nine). However, these features also can be found in several specimens from the Caribbean.

Where the type of Lellingeria suspensa is from. The only specimen from Bolivia (Kessler et al 8141) differs from the typical specimen by being smaller and having superficial sori. Because I have not been able to correlate any character variation with geography, I am here considering all the different forms as variants of L. suspensa, which is the oldest name available for this species.

I have not seen specimens of Lellingeria suspensa from Peru, and neither did Tryon & Stolze (1993), who included it in their treatment for the Pteridophytes of Peru. It is very rare in the southern limits of its distribution: the single collection from Bolivia and specimens from only three localities in southeastern Brazil. This suggests that, although it is very common in the equatorial countries, it is restricted to small populations to the south. Studies on population genetics and biogeography could provide more evidence about whether these populations have arrived recently by sporadic events of dispersal or represent relicts of a previously more widespread and abundant species.