Meniscium lanceum (A.R. Sm.) R.S.Fernandes & Salino

Fernandes, Rozijane Santos, Yesilyurt, Jovita Cislinski & Salino, Alexandre, 2014, New species and combinations in Meniscium (Thelypteridaceae), Phytotaxa 184 (1), pp. 1-11 : 8-9

Meniscium lanceum (A.R. Sm.) R.S.Fernandes & Salino , comb. nov.

Thelypteris lancea Smith (1992: 74) . Type:— PERU. Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa, Palcazú, Río Alto Iscozacín , Ozuz to Río Lobo , 10 May 1985, 400– 500 m, R. Foster & d’Achille 10061 (holotype F, isotype USM).

Selected specimens examined:— ECUADOR. Esmeraldas: Parroquia de Concepción , 108 m, 19 December 1936, Y . Mexia 8474 ( BM, K, MO, NY, UC) . PERU. San Martin: Chazuta , 260 m, March 1935, G . Klug 4035 ( BM, K, MO, S) .— BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: Cuiabá , March 1883, Smith 14452 [Herb. Glaziou] ( P) .— BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Prov .

Sara, 400 m, 9 March 1926, J . Steinbach 7500 ( BM, GH, MO, S, UC). Cochabamba: Prov. Chapare, San Rafael , 500 m, 14 November 1966, R. F . Steinbach 490 ( GH, MO, NY, UC).— PARAGUAY. Serra de Amambay, 23 September 1910, E . Hassler 10508 ( BM, K) .

Distribution and habitat:— Meniscium lanceum is distributed in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. It usually grows in secondary forest formations, mainly along the road, humid hillsides and trails in sunny areas at 180– 900 m.

Notes:— Meniscium lanceum is most similar to M. angustifolium Willdenow (1810: 133) differing mainly in the dimorphic to subdimorphic fronds, crenate to uncinate–serrate pinnae margin, and straight trichomes abaxially on the costae. Meniscium angustifolium has monomorphic fronds, entire to undulate pinnae margin and curved trichomes abaxially on the costae. Meniscium lanceum is also similar to M. nesioticum ( Maxon & Morton 1938: 362) Jermy & Walker (1985: 276) , but differs from the latter, in addition to the characteristics described above, by having sori sitting on the cross-veins and sometimes confluent at maturity. Meniscium nesioticum differs from M. lanceum by its pinnae with entire to undulate margins, usually acrostichoid sori and curved trichomes on abaxial side of the costae.