Lycopodium reflexum Lam.

  • Authority

    Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.

  • Family

    Lycopodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lycopodium reflexum Lam.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants terrestrial, erect or ascending from a curved-decumbent base, 10-45(rarely -70) cm long, 1- to 3-times dichotomous, the divisions erect and of equal thickness throughout, sporangiate nearly to the base. Stems somewhat tumid in life, rigid when dry, 2-3(-5) mm thick (excluding leaves), or 8-15(-20) mm broad including leaves. Leaves crowded, most often somewhat squarrose or reflexed, spirally arranged in 12-16 close ranks, 6-10 mm long, 0.6-0.8 mm broad at base, subulate at apex, the margins minutely more or less denticulate or ciliolate throughout (rarely apparently entire and glabrous), flat on both sides, shortly decurrent at base. Sporophylls like the leaves. Sporangia oblong- reniform, mostly 1-1.5 mm wide, pale yellow or whitish.

  • Discussion

    Type. Martin s.n., from Martinique {Herb. Lamarck 442, P).

    Syn. Lycopodium squarrosum Swartz, Prodr. 137.1788, not Forster, 1786. (Type. Swartz, from Jamaica, S.)

    Plananthus reflexus (Lamarck) Palisot de Beauvois prodr. aetheog. 100. 1805.

    Lycopodium reflexum Willdenow in Linnaeus, Sp. pl. ed. 5, 5: 52. 1810. (Type. Humboldt, from Tungurahua, Ecuador, Herb. Willd. 19419, B.) In describing this Willdenow made no mention of Lamarck's plant.

    Lycopodium eversum Poiret in Lamarck, Encycl. suppl. 3: 556. 1814. (Based on L. reflexum Willdenow not Lamarck.)

    Urostachys reflexus (Lamarck) Herter, Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 39: 249. 1922.

    Huperzia reflexa (Lamarck) Rothmaler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 54: 60. 1944.

    Distribution and ecology : General Distribution. Greater and Lesser Antilles, and continental tropical America from Mexico to Paraguay and Bolivia. Distribution in Puerto Rico. Widely distributed in mountain districts but not very often collected; specimens have been examined from Adjuntas, Cayey, Ceiba, Jayuya, Patillas, and Ponce. Habitat. Steep banks (especially along roadsides) and damp clearings at mostly high elevations (800-1338 m ) , locally frequent or common.