Sticherus rubiginosus (Mett.) Nakai (1950: 28)

Gonzales, Jasivia & Kessler, Michael, 2011, A synopsis of the Neotropical species of Sticherus (Gleicheniaceae), with descriptions of nine new species, Phytotaxa 31, pp. 1-54 : 44

Sticherus rubiginosus (Mett.) Nakai (1950: 28)

Gleichenia rubiginosa Mettenius (1864: 267) . Dicranopteris rubiginosa (Mett.) Maxon (1922a: 50) .

Type:— COLOMBIA. Puente Nacional , 1650 m, Lindig 71 (holotype B, isotype US).

Distribution and ecology:— Locally common in mountains of Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Found in open habitats in humid montane forests, along roads, on landslides, and near streams, (800–) 1400–3250 m.

Notes:— Sticherus rubiginosus belongs to a group of five closely related species, which also includes S. brittonii , S. strictissimus , S. farinosus , and S. boliviensis . All five species have been considered to be conspecific (e.g., by Tryon & Stolze 1989, Østergaard & Øllgaard 2001). They all have lanceolate branch and bud scales with a marginal to central pattern of scale darkening, but they differ in the degree of separation of the segments, the shape of the midvein scales, the prominence of the veinlets, and to some degree, in the pattern of scale darkening. Most collections from the complex surrounding S. rubiginosus can readily be placed into the five species we propose. However, there are some specimens, especially from Bolivia, that are either intermediate between species or show a unique combination of characters. Since these specimens do not form a uniform group or show an indication of hybridity, they cannot be delimited as a distinct species.