Lastreopsis Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. Bot.

Kessler, Michael, Moran, Robbin C., Mickel, John T., Matos, Fernando B. & Smith, Alan R., 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XXXV. Dryopteridaceae, Phytotaxa 353 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

Lastreopsis Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. Bot. 8(4): 157. 1938.

Lastreopsis is related to Megalastrum , Parapolystichum , Pleocnemia (an Asian genus) and Rumohra ( Schuettpelz & Pryer 2007, Labiak et al. 2014). Lastreopsis was originally characterized by Tindale (1965) by having adaxially finely puberulent rachises, with grooves that are continuous from one axis to the next; the two ridges alongside the grooves on the adaxial surface have a shallow channel between them, and this is partly filled with a raised central portion that is usually densely hirsute with “ Ctenitis - type ” hairs—short and septate. More recent phylogenetic studies have shown that three distinct clades share this character and support the recognition of the genera Lastreopsis , Parapolystichum , and Pleocnemia ( Schuettpelz & Pryer 2007, Labiak et al. 2014). Lastreopsis , as redefined by Labiak et al. (2014), comprises about 10 species, two of which occur in the Neotropics and the remainder in southeastern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Labiak et al. (2014, 2015a) have shown that the two American species, along with two Australasian and Polynesian species, are perhaps closer to the Megalastrum + Rumohra clade than to Lastreopsis subg. Lastreopsis and Parapolystichum . This conclusion is supported by both spore morphology and characters of the scales (denticulate) and dark-tipped hairs in the adaxial grooves. They have recently been included in the new subgenus, Rhopalotricha Labiak & R.C.Moran ( Labiak et al. 2015b).