Palhinhaea cerrojefensis B. Øllgaard (2016a: 266)

Øllgaard, Benjamin & Testo, Weston, 2021, The Lycopodiaceae of Panamá, Phytotaxa 526 (1), pp. 1-66 : 54

2. Palhinhaea cerrojefensis B. Øllgaard (2016a: 266) . Fig. 23

Type:— PANAMÀ: Prov. Panamá, la cima del Cerro Jefe , elev. 900 m, 25 agosto 1972, Correa, Dressler, Escobar & Carrasquill, 1796 ( MO holotype; F, PMA isotypes) .

Rigidly erect plants with at least to 2 m tall, self-supporting, aerial shoots. Erect main axes with several to numerous, opposite to subopposite, usually stiffly spreading, highly compound, to at least 20 cm long lateral branchlet systems. Main aerial stems 4–5 mm thick excluding leaves, the leaves appressed in the lower part of the stem, upward gradually becoming somewhat involute from an appressed leaf base. Stem surface and especially the decurrent leaf bases sparsely to densely covered with simple and branched, irregularly curled hairs. Basal divisions of lateral branchlet systems 4–6 mm in diameter including leaves, gradually tapering to (2–) 3 mm in ultimate branchlets. Ultimate branchlets rigidly diverging, straight to short-recurved apically. Leaves of ultimate branchlets densely crowded, usually borne in somewhat irregular alternating whorls of 4–5, these ca. 1 mm or less apart, forming 8–10 longitudinal ranks, 2–3 × 0.3–0.5 mm, subterete or quadrangular at base (dried), apically flattened, acicular, falcately curved to involute, the leaf bases glabrous to densely hairy. Strobili nodding to pendent, to 8 mm long, 2–3 mm in diameter including sporophylls. Sporophylls borne in alternating whorls of 4, forming 8 longitudinal ranks, with deltoid-cuspidate, 1 (–1.5) mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide exterior face, with densely fimbriate-laciniate margins. Sporangia subglobose, ca. 0.5 mm wide.

Distribution:— Panamá: So far known only from Cerro Jefe.

Habitats:—This species appears to be a pioneer of road banks and corresponding disturbed habitats in lower montane rain forest.

­­­ Notes:—The material used for this description does not include the basal, horizontally arching and rooting shoots. This species co-occurs with P. cernua on Cerro Jefe and maintains a distinct growth habit compared to that species, even when growing side-by-side.

This species resembles Palhinhaea pseudocurvata B. Øllg. (the Guianas, Venezuela and Greater Antilles) in size and robustness, but differs in the more compact growth habit and details of leaf shape and orthostichy.

­­­ Specimens­­­ studied:— Panamá: Summit of Cerro Jefe and forests along road beyond summit, Hayden 1009 (MO). Cerro Jefe, new road leading W from summit, Witherspoon 8524 (MO). Cerro Jefe, proceed on road to Cerro Jefe via Cerro Vistamares entrance, 958 m, Harrison & Harrison 808 (VT). Cerro Jefe between Cerro Azul and La Eneida, about 15 mi NE of Panama City, Wilbur et al. 15530 (photo DUKE).