Palhinhaea cernua

Øllgaard, Benjamin, Kessler, Michael & Smith, Alan R., 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. II. Lycopodiaceae, Phytotaxa 334 (3), pp. 255-294 : 265

Palhinhaea cernua (L.) Franco & Carv., Bol. Soc. Brot. 41: 25. 1967. ( Fig. 4A )

= Lycopodium cernuum L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1103. 1753.

= Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic. Serm., Webbia 23(1): 166. 1968.

Range: —Pantropical; in the Neotropics from Mexico to Bolivia (BE, CH, CO, LP, PA, SC).

Ecology: —A common pioneer species on road cuts and moist disturbed soil, along rivers, in forest clearings; terrestrial; 0–3000 m.

Notes: —A variable species, presumably mainly due to external factors. When P. cernua grows in open, exposed habitats, it has the typical growth habit with erect, tree-like aerial shoots. However, in shaded, moist habitats the aerial shoots may branch profusely, and may grow to more than 2 m long, becoming gradually overhanging or subscandent.

Figures

FIGURE 4. A, Palhinhaea cernua, growth habit, A1, strobiliferous branchlets, A2, sporophyll (Holm-Nielsen et al. 4494, Ecuador, AAU).—B, Palhinhaea camporum, growth habit, B1, leafy branchlet, B2, sporophyll (Prado et al. 69, Brazil, AAU).