Phlegmariurus homocarpus (Herter)

Øllgaard, Benjamin & Testo, Weston, 2021, The Lycopodiaceae of Panamá, Phytotaxa 526 (1), pp. 1-66 : 32

. ­­­ Phlegmariurus homocarpus (Herter) ­­­ B. Øllgaard (2012b: 15). ­­­ Fig. 14A

Urostachys homocarpus Herter (1923: 163) .— Lycopodium homocarpum (Herter) C. Chr. (1937: 92) .— Huperzia homocarpa (Herter) Holub (1985: 73) . Type:— DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Prov. de La Vega, in sylvis humidis, 1912, 1300 m elev. Padre Miguel Fuertes 1785 (B holotype; BONN-Nessel 354, GH, NY, P isotypes, possible isotype in E).

Plants flaccidly pendulous, at least to 150 cm long. Shoots homophyllous, or the leaves slightly modified toward the shoot apices, 15–20 mm in diameter including leaves throughout, or tapering to 7–10 mm in apical divisions. Leaves borne in alternating, irregular whorls of 3–4, these 2–5 mm apart, forming 6–8 indistinct longitudinal ranks, usually twisted at base and with slightly falcate-ascending, vertical lamina, sometimes densely crowded in sporangiate divisions, spreading to ascending, sometimes loosely appressed in apical divisions, linear to linear-lanceolate, in apical divisions widened just above the base to near the middle, from there evenly tapering into a long narrow tip, adaxially convex, abaxially concave with slightly prominent vein, 10–14 mm long in basal divisions, sometimes reduced to (7–) 8–10 mm long in apical divisions, 1–1.5 mm wide, softly to firmly herbaceous, dull to somewhat shining, with slightly revolute, smooth margins, usually twisted at base and with slightly falcate-ascending, vertical lamina. Sporangia 1.5– 2.2 mm wide.

­­­ Distribution:— Total distribution uncertain, but including Greater Antilles, Costa Rica, Panamá, and Northern Andes.

­­­ Habitats:— Epiphytic in upper montane forest, 2250–3300 m elev. but probably with a wider range of elevation. It grows in drier habitats that other close relatives, usually in Quercus -dominated forest.

­­­ Notes:— Homophyllous, lax, pendulous, with rather distant whorls of relatively short, linear-lanceolate, usually basally twisted leaves. Difficult to delimit in relation to Phlegmariurus taxifolius , P. linifolius , and P. dichotomus .

­­­ Specimens­­­examined:— Chiriquí: Casita Alta–Cerro Copete, 2300–3300 m, Woodson & Schery 365 (MO, US). Ca 3.7 km E of bridge NE of Cerro Punta on road through Bajo Grande, 2250–2400 m, Stevens 18158 (MO)