Phlegmariurus mesoamericanus ­­­ (B.Øllgaard) B. Øllgaard (2012b: 16)

Øllgaard, Benjamin & Testo, Weston, 2021, The Lycopodiaceae of Panamá, Phytotaxa 526 (1), pp. 1-66 : 33-34

2.­­­ Phlegmariurus mesoamericanus ­­­ (B.Øllgaard) B. Øllgaard (2012b: 16) . Fig. 16

Huperzia mesoamericana B. Øllgaard (1993: 67) . Type:— PANAMÁ, Prov. Chiriquí: Cerro Hornito, epiphyte, in cloud forest, 6,200 ft., 8 May 1978, Hammel, B. 3061 (MO holotype).

Pendent, up to 25 cm long. Shoots slightly and gradually tapering from ca. 20–30 mm in diam. incl. leaves at the base to 10–15 mm in distal divisions. Stems excl. leaves 2–3 mm thick at the base. Leaves gradually modified, borne in irregular, alternating whorls of 3, covering the stem. Leaves of basal divisions spreading to perpendicular, elliptic to broadly lanceolate, obtuse to broadly acute, ­­­ 12–15 × 4–5 mm, almost flat, firmly herbaceous to subcoriaceous, somewhat shining, with slightly revolute, entire margins. Leaves of middle and distal divisions gradually smaller, more acute, more arcuately ascending, flat, with flat or slightly revolute margins. Leaves of fully sporangiate divisions 6–8 × 2.5–3 mm. Sporangia 1.5–2 mm wide.

­­­ Distribution:— Costa Rica and Panamá, Dominica (Lesser Antilles).

Habitats:—Epiphyte in cloud forests, 1000–1768 m elev.

Notes:—A distinct species of uncertain taxonomic affinity. Because it is a pendent epiphyte with gradually heterophyllous shoots and rather wide leaves of firm texture, this species is referred tentatively to the Phlegmariurus taxifolius group. It differs from P. taxifolius by the shorter growth and more compact aspect, by the elliptic to widely lanceolate leaves, 12–15 × 4–5 mm, with obtuse to broadly acute apices, in the basal divisions of the plant, and by the leaves of the densely sporangiate distal divisions 6–8 × 2.5–3 mm, widely lanceolate and flat, with flat or slightly revolute margins. In contrast P. taxifolius has linear-lanceolate to lanceolate leaves, 14–23 × 2–3 mm, in the basal divisions, and the leaves of the densely sporangiate distal divisions 3–8 × 1–1.5 (–2) mm, lanceolate or narrower, usually with a widened and somewhat clasping base, and a long, narrow, involute apex.

­­­ Specimens­­­studied:— Chiriquí: Cerro Colorado, 1600 m, Schmalzel 1997 (MO).

Cerro Colorado, 11.2 km along ridgeroad from main road to Escopeta, 1700 m, Folsom 4873 (MO). Road Landan–Pittí, 1000–1200 m, Correa et al. 2961 (PMA). Cerro Hornito, 1768 m, Hammel 3061 (MO).