Pleopeltis minima (Bory) J.Prado & R.Y.Hirai (2010: 100)

Souza, Filipe Soares De & Salino, Alexandre, 2021, Pleopeltis (Polypodiaceae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 512 (4), pp. 213-256 : 236-237

13. Pleopeltis minima (Bory) J.Prado & R.Y.Hirai (2010: 100) . Figs. 9–O , 15D , 17B, E , 20C–D . Marginaria minima Bory (1826: 177) . Goniophlebium incanum (Sw.) J. Sm. var. minus Fée (1869: 107) . Polypodium minimum (Bory) Herter (1925: 368) , Polypodium polypodioides ( Linnaeus 1753: 1068–1069) . Watt (1867: 158) var. minus (Fée) Weatherby (1939: 31) Polypodium polypodioides (L.) Watt. var. minimum (Bory) Kuhlmann & Kuhn (1948: 22) . Type:— Santa Catarina: ”parties témprées du Brésil ” Crypt. Voy. de la Coquille 61 (lectotype P! image, designated by Prado & Hirai (2010))

Polypodium squalidum Vellozo (1831 : t76). Pleopeltis squalida (Vell.) de la Sota (2003: 196) . Type:—Fl. Flumin. Icon. 11. Tab. 76 (lectotype P! designated by Burkart (1963; isolectotypes B!, BM!)

Polypodium microlepis Fée (1852a: 238) . Type:—America Australi, Herb. Mougeotiano, Pamplin 38 (holotype: P00632929! image).

Plants epiphytic or epipetric. Rhizomes long-creeping, with scales linear-triangular to lanceolate, brown to dark brown, base rounded with a brown point of attachment, apex long-acuminate, margin light brown to brown and denticulate; fronds monomorphic, 2–15 × 0.9–3 cm, petiolate, petioles long, terete, with 0.5–5 cm long, without wings, scaly; laminae 1.5–10 cm long, pinnatisect to pinnate, deltate to lanceolate, base truncate, apex obtuse to acuminate; rachises terete, scaly; pinnae 4–15 pairs, 0.3–1.4 × 0.1–0.3 cm, linear to linear-lanceolate, base adnate to the rachises, auricles absent, hydathodes present, apex rounded to attenuate, margin entire, laevigate to involute, adaxial surface glabrous to glabrescent, abaxial surface scaly; venation anastomosing; frond scales lanceolate to widely-ovate, brown to stramineous, base rounded with a brown to blackish point of attachment, apex acuminate to acute, margin stramineous to brown, entire to denticulate; sori rounded, medial, covered by scales; spores with nearly plain surface to shallowly verrucate with sparse globules.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Caitité , August 2008, M.S. Mendes 599 ( BHCB) ; Paulo Afonso, Aldeia Serrota , 24 March 2006, M. Colaço 101 ( HUEFS) . Ceará: Crato, Flona do Araripe , 26 October 2010, M. Mata 2213 ( HUEFS) . Espírito Santo: Linhares, Floresta Nacional de Goytacazes , 14 May 2008, A. Salino 13380 ( BHCB) ; Cacheiro do Itapemirim, RPPN Cafundó , 29 October 2009, A. Salino 14659 ( BHCB) ; Castelo, Parque Estadual da Mata das Flores , 24 June 2008, A. Salino 13513 ( BHCB) ; Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale , 30 June 1993, D.A. Folli 1925 ( BHCB) ; Pinheiros, Reserva Biológica do Córrego do Veado , 9 June 2009, A. Salino 14298 ( BHCB) ; Nova Venécia, Pedra do Elefante , 25 August 2009, A. Salino 14415 ( BHCB) ; Rio Novo do Sul, Comunidade Couro dos Monos, 30 October 2009, A. Salino 14693 ( BHCB) ; Santa Tereza, Toma Vento , 14 August 2001, L. Kollmann 4322 ( BHCB, MBML) . Mato Grosso do Sul: Dourados, Fazenda Paradouro , 13 June 1997, L.P. Clemente 26 ( BHCB, SP) . Minas Gerais: Arcos , 11 October 1940, J.E. Oliveira 192 ( BHCB) ; Carangola, Fazenda Santa Rita , 25 August 1988, L.S. Leoni 36 ( BHCB) ; Caratinga, Estação Biológica de Caratinga. , 24 March 2000, A. Salino 5127 ( BHCB) ; Juiz de Fora, Parque da Laginha , 16 November 1981, P.L. Krieger 2692 ( BHCB, CESJ) ; Marliéria, Lagoa do Jacaré , 20 December 2007, M.O. Pivari 736 ( BHCB) ; Sacramento, Engenheiro Lisboa , 20 February 1989, M. Brandão 14760 ( PAMG) ; Salto da Divisa , 5 March 2004, A. Salino 9436 ( BHCB) ; Tombos , 7 July 1935, H.L.M. Barreto 1451 ( BHCB) .

Paraná: Capitão Leônidas Marques , 15 June 1999, J.M. Silva 2986 ( BHCB) ; Céu Azul, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu , 7 December 2011, R.S. Viveros 283 ( BHCB) ; Foz do Iguaçu , 13 February 2013, M. Lautert 177 ( BHCB) ; Palotina, Parque Estadual São Camilo , 27 January 2011, C. Kozera 3798 ( CESJ) . Rio de Janeiro: Cachoeira de Macacu, Parque Estadual Três Picos, 04 August 2010, A. Bonnet s.n. (RB 514343); Mangaratiba , Reserva Ecológica Rio das Pedras , 21 January 2000, M. Guerra Santos 1388 ( RB) ; Maricá, Cachoeira do Espraiado , 10 June 2004, S.L.S. Winter 129 ( RB) ; Rio de Janeiro, Arboreto Jardim Botânico , 07 June 2004, S.L.S. Winter 120 ( RB) . Rio Grande do Sul: Caxias do Sul, 4 May 2007, N.F.O. Mota 798 ( BHCB) ; São Lourenço do Sul, Arroio do Pinto , 3 June 2013, F. Gonzatti 703 ( VIC) ; São Vendelino , 1 May 2001, F.P.F. Athayde 942 ( BHCB) ; Timbó do Sul, Serra da Rocinha , 18 November 2008, J.M. Silva 7348 ( CESJ) . Santa Catarina: Anita Garibaldi, Cachoeira Primeira , 13 December 2008, A. Stival-Santos 281 ( BHCB, FURB) ; Capão Alto, Fazenda Gateados , 4 May 2005, G. Pereira-Silva 10016 ( BHCB) ; Chapecó, Linha de Monte Carlo , 4 March 2009, S. Dreveck 692 ( BHCB, FURB) ; Itá, Fonte Pedra , 21 January 2009, S. Dreveck 662 ( BHCB, FURB) ; Ponte Serrada, Fazenda São Francisco , 25 June 2009, A. Stival-Santos 750 ( BHCB, FURB) . São Paulo: Botucatu, Parque Ecológico da Pavuna , 28 May 2009, L.B. Santos 294 ( VIES) ; Pirassununga, Morro da Senzala , 10 October 1986, A. Salino 02 ( BHCB) .

Distribution and habitat: — Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In Brazil, Pleopeltis minima occurs in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Ceará, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina ( Fig. 10D ), mainly in the forest formations of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains, between 0–1200 m.

Notes: —This species can be recognized by its small frond size (2–15 cm long), brownish rhizome scales, and abaxial lamina surface that has widely ovate, whitish scales with an entire to finely serrulate margin. It can be confused with P. burchellii , but they can be differentiated by the rhizome scales without a central blackish band in P. minima (17B, E), while in P. burchellii the rhizome scales have a central blackish band ( Fig. 17A,E ).

Pleopeltis minima has been often identified as Polypodium squalidum Vell. and Pleopeltis squalida (Vell.) de la Sota. However , according to Prado & Hirai (2010), these names were not validly published. The authors emphasize that the taxa are morphologically similar, presenting small differences, besides a continuous morphological variation between the plants in their geographic extension. Thus, the treatment of P. squalida as a synonym of P. minima is reaffirmed.

Figures

FIGURE 9. A–G. Pleopeltis minarum. A. Habit; B. Rhizome scale; C. Petiole Scale; D. Abaxial rachis scale; E. Adaxial laminar scale; F. Abaxial laminar scale; G. Sorus scale. H–O. P. minima. H. Habit; I. Rhizome scale; J. Petiole scale; K. Adaxial rachis scale; L. Abaxial rachis scale; M. Adaxial laminar scale; N. Abaxial laminar scale. O. Sorus scale.

FIGURE 10. Distribution of four species of Pleopeltis in Brazil. A. P. lepidopteris; B. P. macrocarpa; C. P. minarum; D. P. minima.

FIGURE 15. Spores of nine species of Pleopeltis from Brazil. A. P. lepidopteris; B. P. macrocarpa; C. P. minarum; D. P. minima; E. P. monoides; F. P. pleopeltidis; G. P. pleopeltifolia; H. P. stolzei; I. P. trindadensis. Scale bar = 20 mm

FIGURE 17. Rhizome scales of seven species of Pleopeltis from Brazil. A. P. burchelii, rhizome; B. P. minima, rhizome; C. P. gyroflexa; D. P. stolzei; E. P. minima; F. P. macrocarpa; G. P. bombycina; H. P. monoides; I. P. stolzei; J. P. burchelii.

FIGURE 20. Laminar scales of eight species of Pleopeltis from Brazil. A. P. alborufula, abaxial scale; B. P. burchelii, abaxial scale; C–D. P. minima, abaxial scales; E. P. bombycina, abaxial scale; F. P. trindadensis, abaxial scale; G. P. hirsutissima, abaxial scale; H. P. lepidopteris, abaxial scale; I. P. minarum, abaxial scale; J. P. bombycina, adaxial scale; K. P. lepidopteris, adaxial scale; L. P. minarum, adaxial scale; M–N. P. alborufula, adaxial scales.