Sticherus lechleri (Mett. ex Kuhn) Nakai (1950: 21)

Gonzales, Jasivia & Kessler, Michael, 2011, A synopsis of the Neotropical species of Sticherus (Gleicheniaceae), with descriptions of nine new species, Phytotaxa 31, pp. 1-54 : 32-33

Sticherus lechleri (Mett. ex Kuhn) Nakai (1950: 21)

Gleichenia lechleri Mett. ex Kuhn (1869: 167) .

Type: — PERU. Puno: Tabina, Lechler 2040 (holotype B!) .

Gleichenia leucocarpa Sodiro (1883: 8) . Sticherus leucocarpus (Sodiro) Nakai (1950: 21) . Type: — ECUADOR. Pichincha: Canzacoto and San Florencio, Sodiro s.n. (holotype K!, isotype US!).

Gleichenia yungensis Rosenstock (1908: 228) . Dicranopteris yungensis (Rosenst.) Maxon (1922a: 50) . Sticherus yungensis (Rosenst.) Copeland (1947: 28) . Type : — BOLIVIA. Nor Yungas : Unduavi, Buchtien 902 (holotype S!).

Distribution and ecology: —Andes of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Sticherus lechleri is common in the south, uncommon in the north, and found in humid montane forests, along roadside, and on river banks, at 1100–3300 m.

Notes: — There is considerable morphological variation within S. lechleri , presumably related to environmental conditions. Specimens growing inside forests are more slender and have denser midvein scales, whereas those of sunny sites are stouter, have glabrous midveins, larger aphlebiae, and often conspicuously glaucous undersides. Two specimens from Bolivia ( La Paz , Nor Yungas , entre Chuspipata and Yolosa, 2480 m, 01 January 1994, Beck 21304, AAU, LPB, UC; La Paz, Nor Yungas, 8 km de Chuspipata hacia Coroico, 16°23’S, 67°48’W, 2600 m, 19 September 1997, Kessler 12114, AAU, UC) are atypical in having shorter segments, somewhat longer branches, no branch scales, and rigid, translucent bud scales. They apparently represent a distinct local population .