Lellingeria brevistipes (Mett. ex Kuhn) A.R.Sm. & R.C.Moran

  • 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 brevistipes (Mett. ex Kuhn) A.R.Sm. & R.C.Moran

  • Type

    Type. Brazil, Rio de Janeiro: s.d, collector unknown (lectotype, B 200087472b, specimen at bottom of the sheet, here designated).

  • Synonyms

    Polypodium brevistipes Mett., Ctenopteris brevistipes (Mett. ex Kuhn) Copel., Polypodium pendulum var. gardnerianum Baker

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants epiphytic; fronds erect to slightly arcuate, determinate; rhizome short-creeping, dorsiventral, with dorsiventral root insertion, scaly, the scales 2-3 x 0.1-0.2 mm, linear-lanceolate, the apex long-attenuate, clathrate, castaneous, glabrous, lacking an apical cilia; petiole 0.5 cm x 0.5 mm, dark brown, terete, glabrescent, the hairs 0.1 mm long, spreading, simple, 1-celled, whitish; lamina to 15 cm long, elliptic, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, deeply pinnatisect, 10-18 pairs of segments, abruptly reduced at the base with 4-5 basal segments about 2/3 shorter than the medial ones, the lowermost auriculiform, broadest near the middle, not showing periodic constrictions, the apex abruptly reduced, pinnatifid or sometimes ending in a subconform terminal segment; rachis straight, with dark sclerenchyma obscured by laminar tissue on both sides (not visible), pubescent abaxially, the hairs 0.1—0.2 mm long, 1- to 2(-3)-furcate, 1- to 3-celled, whitish, glabrous adaxially; segments 15-20(-30) x 2 mm, plane, set 60-70° to rachis, slightly widened at the base, short-decurrent basiscopically, slightly cuneate acroscopically, the base attached parallel on the rachis (i.e., both sides inserted along the same radius), not lobulate, the apex acute to obtuse, the margin entire, plane or slightly revolute, glabrescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis, abaxial lamina surface glabrescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis abaxially, adaxial lamina surface glabrous; sinuses narrower than the width segments; venation pinnate, with 4-7 pairs of veins per segment; costae with the black sclerenchyma obscured by laminar tissue, glabrescent, the hairs similar to those of the rachis; veins simple, without blackish sclerenchyma, ending in hydathodes that often have calcareous deposits; sori medial, rounded, not protruding beyond the costa and margin, up to 6(-7) pairs per segment, superficial to slightly sunken; sporangial capsules glabrous.

  • Discussion

    Lellingeria brevistipes resembles L. tenuicula and L. brasiliensis in laminae shape and size. It differs from both species by the glabrous rhizome scales (vs. ciliate) and the blackish sclerenchyma obscured by laminar tissue on both sides of the rachis. Also, L. brevistipes often has calcareous deposits on the hydathodes, which is not a common feature among the other species of Lellingeria. Despite this morphological similarity, L. brevistipes does not belong to the same clade with those two species. Instead, it was recovered in an uncertain position by the analyses performed by Labiak et al. (2010b), and more studies are needed to assess the relationship of this species.

    When describing Polypodium brevistipes, Mettenius provided an inaccurate citation for the type specimens, indicating two different collections from different localities in his protologue ("Brazil-Rio de Janeiro and Trinidad & Tobago"). Those two specimens comprise one single sheet at herb.B, with each plant representing a different species. Based on the description provided by Mettenius in the protologue and in keeping with the current application of this name to the Brazil-ian specimens, I have selected the specimen located a the bottom of this sheet (B 200087472b as the lectotype. Therefore, the collection from Trinidad & Tobago (B 200087472a) is an excluded syntype and is Lellingeria kaieteura (Jenman) Labiak. The specimen Glaziou 3577 is erroneously labeled as being part of the type collection of P. brevistipes (B 200142662 & BR698939), it is the type of Polypodium argyratum Bory var. brasiliana Fée, a synonym of Lellingeria brasiliensis (Rosenst.) Labiak.

    Two collections from Serra do Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (von Luetzelburg 4903 and 13110, both at M) are unusual because both have much less-dissected fronds than the typical specimens of L. brevistipes. Rosenstock labeled them as Polypodium brevistipes var. subintegra, but, as far as I know, this variety was never published. In any case, I consider these abnormal specimens and see no reason to establish a varietal status for them.

  • Distribution

    Endemic to the Atlantic Rain Forest of southeastern Brazil at 400-2300 m elevation.

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