Elaphoglossum catenatum F.B.Matos & R.C.Moran, 2018

Kessler, Michael, Moran, Robbin C., Mickel, John T., Matos, Fernando B. & Smith, Alan R., 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XXXV. Dryopteridaceae, Phytotaxa 353 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

Elaphoglossum catenatum F.B.Matos & R.C.Moran , sp. nov. ( Fig. 20F–K ; 58A–C )

Type: — BOLIVIA. La Paz: Prov. Nor Yungas, Parque Nacional Cotapata, Hornuni Bajo, senda del campamento Don Pedro hacia la mina, 16°12’S, 67°53’W, 2050 m, 20 November 2000, T. Krömer & A. Acebey 1706 (holotype: UC-1749867; isotypes: LPB not seen) .

Diagnosis: – Elaphoglossum catenatum belongs to Elaphoglossum sect. Setosa based on the presence of hydathodes and subulate scales. It differs from other members of this section, such as E. haynaldii and E. tabanese , by its long pendent sterile leaves (75–115 × 2.5–4 cm) with long petioles (ca. 1/3 the total leaf length), linear-elliptic blades, and dense cover of conspicuous, multicellular hairs.

Stems 0.6–1.5 cm wide, short-creeping, polystichous, scaly, the scales 1.5–5.5 mm long, linear-lanceolate, castaneous to black, concolorous, resinous, spreading, margin entire to sparsely glandular-denticulate; phyllopodia inconspicuous; sterile fronds 75–115 × 2.5–4 cm, approximate; petioles 15–30 cm long, 1/3 to 1/2 the total leaf length, slender, to 0.2 cm diam., moderately scaly and densely pilose, the scales (0.5–) 1–5 mm long, subulate, castaneous to dark orange-brown, patent, margins strongly revolute throughout, entire to sparsely denticulate, the hairs 0.2–0.4 mm long, 2–5 celled, catenate, the apical cell slightly enlarged; sterile blades linear-elliptic, bases narrowly cuneate, apices acuminate, rather thin in texture, moderately scaly and densely pilose on both surfaces, the scales (0.5–) 1–5 mm long, subulate, orange to dark orange-brown, patent, margins strongly revolute, virtually entire, the hairs 0.1–0.4 mm long, 2–5 celled, the apical cell slightly enlarged; veins evident, simple or once-forked, 2–2.5 mm apart, at 70–85 o angle to costa; hydathodes present; fertile fronds ca. 1/3 the length of the sterile, 22–23 cm long; petioles 2/3–1/2 of the frond length; fertile blades 9–10 × 2.5–3 cm, oblong, bases broadly cuneate, apices acute to apiculate, scaly adaxially, the scales subulate and spreading, similar to those of sterile blades; intersporangial scales lacking.

Etymology: —The specific epithet is derived from the Latin catenatus, which means chained or chain-like. It refers to the long, soft, rather straight but flexuous multicellular hairs from the petioles and blades of this species. These hairs are septate, with the end walls of adjacent cells dark-colored, resembling a chain composed of links.

Range: —Endemic to Bolivia (CO, LP).

Ecology: —Pendant epiphyte in humid montane Yungas forests; 1650–2550 m.

Paratypes: — BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: Prov.Ayopaya, San Cristóbal, saliendo del Pueblo por el camino principal, en la 2 o quebrada, 16°39’S, 66°43’W, 2550 m, 18 June 2002, I . Jiménez 1332 ( LPB, NY); ib., Comunidad Pampa Grande, cruzando el rio del mismo nombre, 16°40’S, 66°28’W, 2150 m, 6 November 2002, I . Jiménez et al. 1392 ( LPB, NY, UC). La Paz: Prov. Franz Tamayo, Parque Nacional Madidi, Mojos, Campamento inciensal Linter, 2 km al NW del campamento Fuertecillo, camino de herradura hacia Queara, 14°35’39”S, 68°57’00W, 1970 m, 5 May 2007, A . Fuentes et al. 11709 ( LPB, MO, NY); ib., PN-ANMI Madidi, sendero Keara-Mojos, bajando por la senda de Tokuaqe a Fuertecillo, antes de llegar al 2 o riachuelo, 14°37’S, 68°57’W, 2280 m, 4 November 2001, I . Jiménez & S . Gallegos 778 ( LPB, NY); ib., PN-ANMI Madidi, senda Keara-Mojos, arriba de fuertecillos, 14°35’S, 68°56’W, 2020 m, 6 November 2001, I . Jiménez & S . Gallegos 878 ( NY); ib., PN-ANMI Madidi, senda Keara-Mojos, entre Lagunillas y Fuertecillos , 14°36’S, 68°56’W, 2120 m, 6 November 2001, I . Jiménez & S . Gallegos 899 ( LPB, NY); Prov. Murillo, valle de Zongo, 44 kms después del abra de Zongo, 1650–1750 m, 19 November 1981, S. G . Beck 7258 ( NY); Prov. Nor Yungas, Estación Biologica de Tunquini, Hornuni Bajo, senda del campo de Don Pedro al pajonal atras del rio Cedroni , 16°12’S, 67°52’W, 1850 m, 21 August 2001, K . Bach 1526 et al. ( LPB, UC); ib., Parque Nacional Cotapata, cerca del Pajonal, passando el puente del rio Cedroni , 16°12’S, 67°52’W, 1850 m, 9 August 2000, T . Krömer & C . Acebey 1475 ( LPB, UC); ib., Cantón Pacollo, senda del cerro Omuri, 16°11’S, 67°52’W, 1800 m, 27 Nov 1998, A . Portugal 571 et al. ( LPB, UC) .

Notes: —This new species resembles Elaphoglossum pendulum Rojas (2009: 295) , which is endemic to Costa Rica and belongs to sect. Polytrichia . Both species have pendant sterile leaves, with long and linear-elliptic blades densely covered by multicellular hairs and subulate scales. Elaphoglossum catenatum , however, greatly differs from E. pendulum by darker stem scales (castaneous to black vs. orangish), longer petioles (1/3–1/2 vs. 1/15–1/10 the total frond length), and the presence of hydathodes. Few subulate-scaled species of Elaphoglossum have hairs as dense as in this new species. The similar E. haynaldii is also densely puberulent on petioles and blades, but differs by narrower blades (1.5–2.3 vs. 2.5–4 cm wide) and more obscure veins. Additionally, the subulate scales of E. haynaldii are more tortuous, imparting a rather villous appearance to the plant. Herbarium specimens of this new species have been previously identified as E. tabanense André ex Christ (1899: 125) , a species that is restricted to Colombia and Ecuador. It differs from E. catenatum by sterile blade bases round to truncate (vs. narrowly cuneate in E. catenatum ), leaf scales with margins strongly serrulate (vs. entire to sparsely denticulate) and revolute only at the base (vs. revolute throughout the whole length), glandular hairs virtually absent on petioles but present on blades (vs. abundant on petioles and blades), and fertile blades ovate to broadly elliptic, nearly as long as wide (vs. oblong, ca. 3 times longer than wide).

Figures

FIGURE 20. A–E. Elaphoglossum haynaldii (Steinbach 9268, MO). A. Habit. B. Rhizome scale. C. Petiole and petiolar scale. D. Sterile blade, adaxial surface. E. Sterile blade, abaxial surface. F–K. Elaphoglossum catenatum (Jiménez 1332, NY). F. Habit. G, H. Rhizome scales. J. Sterile blade, adaxial surface. K. Sterile blade, abaxial surface.—Scale bars for habit = 5 cm, all other scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 58. A–C. Elaphoglossum catenatum (Krömer & Acebey 1706, UC, holotype). A. Habit. B. Sterile blade, adaxial surface, showing hydathodes, subulate scales, and hairs. C. Petiole with subulate scales and multicellular, catenate hairs.