Phlegmariurus talamancanus ­­­ (B.Øllg.) B. Øllgaard (2012b: 19)

Øllgaard, Benjamin & Testo, Weston, 2021, The Lycopodiaceae of Panamá, Phytotaxa 526 (1), pp. 1-66 : 38

26.­­­ Phlegmariurus talamancanus ­­­ (B.Øllg.) B. Øllgaard (2012b: 19) . Fig. 17

Huperzia talamancana B. Øllgaard (1993: 67) .—Type: Costa Rica, Prov. San José, Cordillera de Talamanca, Cerro de la Muerte, Pan American Hwy at km 91, Ericaceae-Chusquea scrub, 3000–3300 m, 25. Aug. 1983, Hickey 898, AAU, holotype).

Erect from an ascending base, forming large clumps, sometimes up to 60 cm tall. Shoots homoblastic, homophyllous, equally thick throughout or slightly tapering, 7–15 (–25) mm in diam. incl. leaves. Stem excl. leaves 3–5 mm thick. Leaves borne in crowded, irregular, alternating whorls of (4–) 5–7, spreading to arcuately ascending or loosely imbricate, lanceolate, (6–) 8–11 × 2–3 mm (leaves of distal divisions sometimes 1.5–2 mm wide), with an inconspicuous to prominent, often prominently decurrent basal swelling (air cavity), abaxially flat to rounded or with a shallow central ridge, smooth and often lustrous, sometimes with a few inconspicuous, slightly protruding, blister-like epidermal cells, with irregularly protruding, clear, marginal cells, green or yellowish tinged, not pruinous. Sporangia 2–3 mm wide.

­­­ Distribution:— Costa Rica and Panamá. Endemic.

­­­ Habitats:—Terrestrial in páramo, and under scrub. 2500–3380 m elev.

­­­ Notes:—A variable species, responding strongly to the light conditions of its habitats. Apparently related to Phlegmariurus crassus , with which it has often been confused.

This species grows as a terrestrial plant in páramo, and under open scrub in páramo, in marshes and high swamps, often associated with Sphagnum . It appears to be rather frequent at high altitudes, mainly above 3,000 m in Costa Rica, and is known from two localities in western Panamá. Phlegmarius talamancanus often coexists with P. crassus in Costa Rica. It belongs to the Phlegmarius crassus group ( Testo et al. 2018b) and has commonly been included in a wide concept of Phlegmariurus saururus (as Lycopodium or Urostachys ), see e. g. Lellinger (1989).

­­­ Specimens­­­studied:—Bocas­­­del­­­Toro: Between Itamut and Bine peaks, Fábrega Massif, 3200 m, Gómez et al. 22529 (AAU, MO, UC). Chiriquí: Volcán de Chiriquí, Loma Larga to summit, 2500–3380 m, Woodson et al. 1079 (GH, MO, NY, US).