Polypodium ovatum Burm. Polypodium palustre Burm. Polypodium radicans Burm. Polypodium rostratum Burm. Polypodium scolopendria Burm. Polypodium simplex Burm. Polypodium spinulosum Burm. Polypodium trapezoides Burm.

Mazumdar, Jaideep, Callmander, Martin W. & Fumeaux, Nicolas, 2019, Typification and nomenclature of the ferns described in N. L. Burman’s Flora Indica, Candollea 74 (1), pp. 93-109 : 100-104

Polypodium ovatum Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated by STEENIS, 1934: 288): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00348837]!).

= Plectranthus scutellarioides ( L.) R. Br. , Prodr.: 506. 1810. ≡ Ocimum scutellarioides L. , Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 834. 1763. ( Lamiaceae )

Notes. – In the protologue, BURMAN (1768: 233) simply referred to an illustration ( PETIVER, 1712: 38, tab. 14, fig. 2) as (unnamed) variety β. He did not mention any collector, merely “ Habitat in Java ” as locality. But his comment about the variety β (“[...] cum javanica sit ovata [...]”), a comparison between Petiver’s plate and an actual Javan specimen, may be regarded as implicit specimen citation.

Asingle specimen of original material is extant in G-PREL [ G 00348837]: it bears a reference to Petiver’s illustration and the name of the new species, both from N. L. Burman’s hand, as well as a few notes by John Briquet (1870 – 1931), former curator of the Delessert Herbarium (“ Java / non filix / non Petiver ” in front of the reference to Petiver’s illustration).

MERRILL (1921: 337) treated Polypodium ovatum as of doubtful status. This name refers indeed to a commonly cultivated form of Plectranthus scutellarioides ( Lamiaceae ), as correctly identified by STEENIS (1934: 288), who also designated the above specimen (seen as photograph!) as “actual type ”. This implicit lectotypification is accepted here.

Polypodium palustre Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 234. 1768.

≡ Stenochlaena palustris (Burm. f.) Bedd. , Suppl. Ferns. S. Ind.: 26. 1876.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00818199]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768) referred in the protologue to various pre-Linnaean publications and plates. He did not mention any collector, but “ Habitat in Indiis ” as locality and the Javanese vernacular name “ Daun-Peekou ”, which should be regarded as specimen citation (the only one in the protologue!), since this name is not mentioned in any of the cited publications, as stated by MERRILL (1921: 334).

Asingle specimen in G-PREL [ G 00818199] matches this citation; it bears the Javanese name “ Daun Pakoe ”, followed by two polynomials from the protologue and the name of the new species, all from Burman’s hand. Another specimen in G-PREL [ G 00801097], possibly part of the original material, only bears the same two polynomials from an unknown hand. Three Paul Hermann specimens from Ceylon extant in BIF-CEYL (p. 152 ( Fig. 3 , lower specimen), p. 21 and p. 156) may also be regarded as original material; they were used by Burman’s father for his Thesaurus Zeylanicus (1737) , a work cited in the protologue (see above Notes under Polypodium acutum ).

UNDERWOOD (1906: 38) cited the type specimen as “Type from Ceylon ”, and FRASER-JENKINS et al. (2018: 187) as “Type from Sri Lanka, “ In Indiis ”, Herb. Burman,? G ”. None of these citations may be considered as valid implicit lectotypification, or even as first-step lectotypification, as BURMAN (1768) did not cite any specimen from Sri Lanka, and as there are three different gatherings from Sri Lanka conserved in Paris. Therefore, we designate here the only specimen cited (G-PREL [ G 00818199]) as lectotype ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.12).

Polypodium radicans Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233, tab. 66, fig. 3. 1768.

≡ Nephrolepis radicans (Burm. f.) Kuhn in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 285. 1869.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00800108]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768: 233) cited in the protologue a Pryon collection, a reference to his father’s Thesaurus Zeylanicus (1737: 98) and a plate (tab. 66, fig. 3) ( Fig. 1 ).

Asingle specimen of Pryon is present in G-PREL ( G 00800108). HOVENKAMP & MIYAMOTO (2005: 308) and HOVENKAMP (2013a: 65) cited this specimen as type but failed to indicate the institution of deposit in 2005 and the term “ lectotype ” both in 2005 and 2013. Thus, none of these citations can be accepted as valid lectotypification ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.22, 9.23). The lectotypification is based here on the single specimen of original material present in G-PREL [ G 00800108].

Polypodium rostratum Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 235. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java [?]: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00801123]!).

= Pteridium aquilinum subsp. wightianum (Wall. ex J. Agardh) W.C. Shieh in Quart. J. Chin. Forest. 6: 98. 1973. ≡ Pteris recurvata var. wightiana Wall. ex J. Agardh, Recens. Spec. Pter.: 50. 1839.

Notes. – In the protologue, BURMAN (1768: 235) cited an illustration ( PLUKENET, 1705: tab. 399, fig. 4) and a Pryon collection.

The only original material in G-PREL is a Pryon specimen [ G 00801123)], probably from Java. It is formally designated here as lectotype.

The taxonomy of Pteridium aquilinum has been controversial. Recent morphometric and molecular genetic studies tend to recognize a single species containing several subspecies ( THOMSON, 2000, 2004, 2008; ZHOU et al., 2014), while previous treatments recognized distinct species (e.g. BROWNSEY, 1998). Asingle subspecies is recognized in South East Asia ( THOMSON, 2008; ZHOU et al., 2014).

Polypodium scolopendria Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 232. 1768.

≡ Phymatosorus scolopendria (Burm. f.) Pic. Serm. in Webbia 28: 460. 1973.

Lectotypus (designated by MERRILL, 1921: 335): INDONESIA. Java [?]: s. d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00360110]!). Syntypus: INDONESIA: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00360042]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768: 232) cited in the protologue several plates and two Pryon collections from Indonesia (“ malaice fimbar-minganang ” and (semicolon!) “ javanice daun sambang ”). The two syntypes are extant in G-PREL. One bear the Malay name “ fimbar-minganang ” from Pryon’s hand [ G 00360042] and represents a fertile specimen with a mature fern leaf. The second collection bears the Javanese name “ daun sambang ” from the same hand [ G 00360110] and represents a sterile specimen, probably collected in Java. An uncited Paul Hermann specimen from Ceylon extant in the library of the Institut de France in Paris (BIF-CEYL p. 41) ( Fig. 6 ) may also be regarded as original material; it was used by BURMAN (1737) ’s father for his Thesaurus Zeylanicus , a work cited in the protologue (see above Notes under Polypodium acutum and P. palustre ). MERRILL (1921: 335) made a clear reference to “ Pryon’s Javan specimen for which the local name daun sembang is cited” as “actual type”. This should be considered as an implicit lectotypification, despite the fact that the selected specimen is unfortunately the sterile one (G-PREL [ G 00360110]).

HOVENKAMP (2013b: 159) cited “ Herb. Hermann s.n., Sri Lanka [ Ceylon] (n.v.)” as type, but first selected an uncited specimen, and second failed to mention the institution of deposit and the term lectotype to effect the lectotypification ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.12, 9.22, 9.23). VERDCOURT (2001: 24) cited as lectotype: “ India, Indonesia, Java, Pryon s.n. ( G, lecto)”. In a footnote, he accepted Schelpe ( SCHELPE & ANTHONY, 1986: 165)’s citation of a specimen he had seen (“Type: India, Herb. Burmann ( G, holo!)”), but Schelpe did not designate a single specimen as type.

KNAPP (2014: 122) cited a Pryon specimen at Gas lectotype (“ India, Java, Pryon s.n. (LT: G) // Indonesia ”) but again without referring to a single specimen.

Phymatosorus scolopendria is a common fern in the tropics of the Old World. Its native range is mainly restricted to the Malesian region, and maybe a few adjacent areas ( A. Smith, pers. comm.).

Polypodium simplex Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 235. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00818253]!) ( Fig. 7).

Notes. – In the protologue, BURMAN (1768: 235) referred to a plate in RUMPHIUS’s Herbarium Amboinense (1750: 70, tab. 30, fig. 1) and a Kleynhoff collection in his herbarium. Thus a lectotypification is necessary. The only original material in G-PREL is a Pryon collection from Java that Burman erroneously attributed to Kleynhoff: the polynomial “ Filix non ramosa foliis integris alternis ” cited in the protologue appears in Pryon’s typical handwriting on the sheet. This collections is here designated as lectotype ( Fig. 7).

The Pryon specimen in G-PREL clearly represents a species of the genus Drynaria (Bory) J. Sm. It corresponds to Drynaria rigidula (Sw.) Bedd. , showing a sterile frond with anastomosing veins and narrow pinnae articulate to rachis. BURMAN (1768) ’s Polypodium simplex predates SWARTZ (1801) ’s P. rigidulum . In order to allow the further use of a well-known and widely used fern name ( A. Smith, pers. comm.) and to avoid disadvantageous nomenclatural changes entailed by the strict application of the ICN rules ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 14.1), a proposal to conserve Swartz’s name over Burman’s is in preparation.

Polypodium spinulosum Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233, tab. 67, fig. 1. 1768.

≡ Synaphea spinulosa (Burm. f.) Merr. in Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 44: 354. 1919. ( Proteaceae )

Lectotypus (designated by GEORGE, 1995: 277): [ AUSTRALIA]: sine loco, s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00818240]!).

Notes. – Polypodium spinulosum was based on a sterile specimen that was erroneously supposed to originate from Java and an illustration. This name does in fact represent an endemic Proteaceae from Western Australia: Synaphea spinulosa ( MERRILL, 1919: 354; 1920: 347).

GEORGE (1995: 277) cited the single specimen of original material extant in G-PREL as holotype. This implicit lectotypification is accepted here.

GEORGE (1971: 177; 1981: 53) suggested that the type specimens of Acacia truncata (see above Adiantum truncatum ) and Synaphea spinulosa may have been collected in 1697 during the VOC expedition conducted by Wilhelm Vlaming. Thus one of the oldest collections made by Europeans in Australia. Vlaming’s ship was the first Dutch ship to stop in Australia on the way to Java. During the course of the 18th century, the VOC ships took a more direct sea road from the Cape to Java often sailing the coast of Western Australia before reaching Java ( BRUIJN, 1980). Those Australian specimens could also have been collected later in the mid 18th century when Kleynhoff, Pryon or van Santen travelled to Java.

Polypodium trapezoides Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233, tab. 66, fig. 2. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00801112]!).

= Pteris vittata L. , Sp. Pl.: 1074. 1753.

Notes. – The original material of this species includes two plates ( BURMAN, 1768: tab. 66, fig. 2; SLOANE, 1707: tab. 35, fig. 2) and a single collection in G-PREL [G00801112]. A lectotype is therefore designated on the G-PREL collection.

The lectotype represents an immature specimen of Pteris vittata .

Polypodium palustre Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 234. 1768.

≡ Stenochlaena palustris (Burm. f.) Bedd. , Suppl. Ferns. S. Ind.: 26. 1876.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00818199]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768) referred in the protologue to various pre-Linnaean publications and plates. He did not mention any collector, but “ Habitat in Indiis ” as locality and the Javanese vernacular name “ Daun-Peekou ”, which should be regarded as specimen citation (the only one in the protologue!), since this name is not mentioned in any of the cited publications, as stated by MERRILL (1921: 334).

Asingle specimen in G-PREL [ G 00818199] matches this citation; it bears the Javanese name “ Daun Pakoe ”, followed by two polynomials from the protologue and the name of the new species, all from Burman’s hand. Another specimen in G-PREL [ G 00801097], possibly part of the original material, only bears the same two polynomials from an unknown hand. Three Paul Hermann specimens from Ceylon extant in BIF-CEYL (p. 152 ( Fig. 3 , lower specimen), p. 21 and p. 156) may also be regarded as original material; they were used by Burman’s father for his Thesaurus Zeylanicus (1737) , a work cited in the protologue (see above Notes under Polypodium acutum ).

UNDERWOOD (1906: 38) cited the type specimen as “Type from Ceylon ”, and FRASER-JENKINS et al. (2018: 187) as “Type from Sri Lanka, “ In Indiis ”, Herb. Burman,? G ”. None of these citations may be considered as valid implicit lectotypification, or even as first-step lectotypification, as BURMAN (1768) did not cite any specimen from Sri Lanka, and as there are three different gatherings from Sri Lanka conserved in Paris. Therefore, we designate here the only specimen cited (G-PREL [ G 00818199]) as lectotype ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.12).

Polypodium radicans Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233, tab. 66, fig. 3. 1768.

≡ Nephrolepis radicans (Burm. f.) Kuhn in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 285. 1869.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00800108]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768: 233) cited in the protologue a Pryon collection, a reference to his father’s Thesaurus Zeylanicus (1737: 98) and a plate (tab. 66, fig. 3) ( Fig. 1 ).

Asingle specimen of Pryon is present in G-PREL ( G 00800108). HOVENKAMP & MIYAMOTO (2005: 308) and HOVENKAMP (2013a: 65) cited this specimen as type but failed to indicate the institution of deposit in 2005 and the term “ lectotype ” both in 2005 and 2013. Thus, none of these citations can be accepted as valid lectotypification ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.22, 9.23). The lectotypification is based here on the single specimen of original material present in G-PREL [ G 00800108].

Polypodium rostratum Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 235. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java [?]: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00801123]!).

= Pteridium aquilinum subsp. wightianum (Wall. ex J. Agardh) W.C. Shieh in Quart. J. Chin. Forest. 6: 98. 1973. ≡ Pteris recurvata var. wightiana Wall. ex J. Agardh, Recens. Spec. Pter.: 50. 1839.

Notes. – In the protologue, BURMAN (1768: 235) cited an illustration ( PLUKENET, 1705: tab. 399, fig. 4) and a Pryon collection.

The only original material in G-PREL is a Pryon specimen [ G 00801123)], probably from Java. It is formally designated here as lectotype.

The taxonomy of Pteridium aquilinum has been controversial. Recent morphometric and molecular genetic studies tend to recognize a single species containing several subspecies ( THOMSON, 2000, 2004, 2008; ZHOU et al., 2014), while previous treatments recognized distinct species (e.g. BROWNSEY, 1998). Asingle subspecies is recognized in South East Asia ( THOMSON, 2008; ZHOU et al., 2014).

Polypodium scolopendria Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 232. 1768.

≡ Phymatosorus scolopendria (Burm. f.) Pic. Serm. in Webbia 28: 460. 1973.

Lectotypus (designated by MERRILL, 1921: 335): INDONESIA. Java [?]: s. d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00360110]!). Syntypus: INDONESIA: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00360042]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768: 232) cited in the protologue several plates and two Pryon collections from Indonesia (“ malaice fimbar-minganang ” and (semicolon!) “ javanice daun sambang ”). The two syntypes are extant in G-PREL. One bear the Malay name “ fimbar-minganang ” from Pryon’s hand [ G 00360042] and represents a fertile specimen with a mature fern leaf. The second collection bears the Javanese name “ daun sambang ” from the same hand [ G 00360110] and represents a sterile specimen, probably collected in Java. An uncited Paul Hermann specimen from Ceylon extant in the library of the Institut de France in Paris (BIF-CEYL p. 41) ( Fig. 6 ) may also be regarded as original material; it was used by BURMAN (1737) ’s father for his Thesaurus Zeylanicus , a work cited in the protologue (see above Notes under Polypodium acutum and P. palustre ). MERRILL (1921: 335) made a clear reference to “ Pryon’s Javan specimen for which the local name daun sembang is cited” as “actual type”. This should be considered as an implicit lectotypification, despite the fact that the selected specimen is unfortunately the sterile one (G-PREL [ G 00360110]).

HOVENKAMP (2013b: 159) cited “ Herb. Hermann s.n., Sri Lanka [ Ceylon] (n.v.)” as type, but first selected an uncited specimen, and second failed to mention the institution of deposit and the term lectotype to effect the lectotypification ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.12, 9.22, 9.23). VERDCOURT (2001: 24) cited as lectotype: “ India, Indonesia, Java, Pryon s.n. ( G, lecto)”. In a footnote, he accepted Schelpe ( SCHELPE & ANTHONY, 1986: 165)’s citation of a specimen he had seen (“Type: India, Herb. Burmann ( G, holo!)”), but Schelpe did not designate a single specimen as type.

KNAPP (2014: 122) cited a Pryon specimen at Gas lectotype (“ India, Java, Pryon s.n. (LT: G) // Indonesia ”) but again without referring to a single specimen.

Phymatosorus scolopendria is a common fern in the tropics of the Old World. Its native range is mainly restricted to the Malesian region, and maybe a few adjacent areas ( A. Smith, pers. comm.).

Polypodium simplex Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 235. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00818253]!) ( Fig. 7).

Notes. – In the protologue, BURMAN (1768: 235) referred to a plate in RUMPHIUS’s Herbarium Amboinense (1750: 70, tab. 30, fig. 1) and a Kleynhoff collection in his herbarium. Thus a lectotypification is necessary. The only original material in G-PREL is a Pryon collection from Java that Burman erroneously attributed to Kleynhoff: the polynomial “ Filix non ramosa foliis integris alternis ” cited in the protologue appears in Pryon’s typical handwriting on the sheet. This collections is here designated as lectotype ( Fig. 7).

The Pryon specimen in G-PREL clearly represents a species of the genus Drynaria (Bory) J. Sm. It corresponds to Drynaria rigidula (Sw.) Bedd. , showing a sterile frond with anastomosing veins and narrow pinnae articulate to rachis. BURMAN (1768) ’s Polypodium simplex predates SWARTZ (1801) ’s P. rigidulum . In order to allow the further use of a well-known and widely used fern name ( A. Smith, pers. comm.) and to avoid disadvantageous nomenclatural changes entailed by the strict application of the ICN rules ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 14.1), a proposal to conserve Swartz’s name over Burman’s is in preparation.

Polypodium spinulosum Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233, tab. 67, fig. 1. 1768.

≡ Synaphea spinulosa (Burm. f.) Merr. in Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 44: 354. 1919. ( Proteaceae )

Lectotypus (designated by GEORGE, 1995: 277): [ AUSTRALIA]: sine loco, s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00818240]!).

Notes. – Polypodium spinulosum was based on a sterile specimen that was erroneously supposed to originate from Java and an illustration. This name does in fact represent an endemic Proteaceae from Western Australia: Synaphea spinulosa ( MERRILL, 1919: 354; 1920: 347).

GEORGE (1995: 277) cited the single specimen of original material extant in G-PREL as holotype. This implicit lectotypification is accepted here.

GEORGE (1971: 177; 1981: 53) suggested that the type specimens of Acacia truncata (see above Adiantum truncatum ) and Synaphea spinulosa may have been collected in 1697 during the VOC expedition conducted by Wilhelm Vlaming. Thus one of the oldest collections made by Europeans in Australia. Vlaming’s ship was the first Dutch ship to stop in Australia on the way to Java. During the course of the 18th century, the VOC ships took a more direct sea road from the Cape to Java often sailing the coast of Western Australia before reaching Java ( BRUIJN, 1980). Those Australian specimens could also have been collected later in the mid 18th century when Kleynhoff, Pryon or van Santen travelled to Java.

Polypodium trapezoides Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 233, tab. 66, fig. 2. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java: s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-PREL [ G 00801112]!).

= Pteris vittata L. , Sp. Pl.: 1074. 1753.

Notes. – The original material of this species includes two plates ( BURMAN, 1768: tab. 66, fig. 2; SLOANE, 1707: tab. 35, fig. 2) and a single collection in G-PREL [G00801112]. A lectotype is therefore designated on the G-PREL collection.

The lectotype represents an immature specimen of Pteris vittata .

Figures

Fig. 3. – Page 152 of Paul Hermann’s herbarium from Ceylon in BIF-CEYL with the lectotype of Polypodium acutum Burm. f. (upper specimen) and original material of Polypodium palustre Burm. f. (lower specimen). [© Bibliothèque de l’Institut de France, Paris]

Fig. 1. – Plate 66 of Flora Indica (Burman, 1768) representing Ophioglossum pedatum Burm. f. (fig. 1), Polypodium trapezoides Burm. f. (fig. 2), P. radicans Burm. f. (fig. 3) and Adiantum truncatum Burm. f. (fig. 4). [© Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève]

Fig. 6. – Page 41 of Paul Hermann’s herbarium from Ceylon in BIF-CEYL with original material of Polypodium scolopendria Burm. f. [© Bibliothèque de l’Institut de France, Paris]