Megalastrum marginatum M.Kessler & A.R.Sm., Amer. Fern J.

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

Megalastrum marginatum M.Kessler & A.R.Sm., Amer. Fern J. 96(1): 40, f. 2 D–F. 2006.

Range: —Endemic to Bolivia (CO, LP).

Ecology: —Locally common; terrestrial in humid forests and along streams; 400–1900 m.

Notes: —Differs from co-occurring and closely related M. rupicola by basally 3-pinnate blades (vs. 2-pinnate-pinnatifid), long straight hairs (0.5–1.7 mm) on costae, costules, and veins on both sides of the blades. The two species are similar in laminar cutting and have similar rachis and costal scales (i.e., lanceolate and shiny brown). Eberhardt 402 (UC), determined as an atypical member of this species by Moran et al. (2014a), seems more likely to us to be a hybrid; it has shorter and sparser hairs than M. marginatum , unusually densely scaly costae and costules abaxially, and seemingly malformed sporangia and spores. Megalastrum longipilosum A.Rojas , from Costa Rica and Panama, was cited from Bolivia by Moran & Prado (2010); this specimen was later redetermined as M. marginatum ( Moran et al. 2014a) .