Phlegmariurus monticola Kiew, 2018

Kiew, Ruth & Kamin, Imin, 2018, Two new Phlegmariurus species (Lycopodiaceae) and one new combination from Peninsular Malaysia, PhytoKeys 96, pp. 99-110 : 101-106

Phlegmariurus monticola Kiew sp. nov. Figures 3 , 4A

Type.

Malaysia. Pahang, Cameron Highlands, Gunung Beremban, trail from the Parit Falls to MARDI. 24 May 2007, Nor Ezzawanis & Zamri FRI 54517 (holotype KEP! barcode KEP139948; isotype KEP! barcode KEP139947) .

Description.

Small epiphyte, tufted with (1-)6-7 stems. Stems pendulous or semi-erect, 11-22(-32.5) cm long, 1-2 mm diam., 1.2-1.7 cm wide across the leaves, green, branched once or sometimes twice towards the apex. Leaves crowded, spreading more-or-less at right angles to the stem, more-or-less in 6 rows, mid-green, soft, sessile, narrowly lanceolate to subulate, 8-10 × 0.75-1.5 mm, acutely narrowed to a sharp point at apex, margin entire, minutely revolute, glabrous above and beneath, midrib obscure above, prominent beneath. Strobilus green or yellowish-green, in pairs, each branching dichotomously once or twice, sometimes unbranched, (7.5-)11-12(-22) cm long, ca. 3 mm diameter. Sporophylls similar in shape to leaves but smaller and more compact, transition to strobilus gradual. Sporophylls sessile, ascending, arranged in 4 rows, narrowly lanceolate, 3.5-5(-7) × 0.5-1 mm at base, abruptly narrowed above the sporangium and 0.25 mm wide, margin entire. Sporangium yellow, broadly reniform, ca. 1-1.5 mm across. Spores isotetrahedral with convex margins, polar axis ca. 20 µm, distal surface minutely fossulate-foveolate.

Diagnosis.

It belongs to the Phlegmariurus squarrosus group in that its sporophylls are similar in shape, although smaller, than the leaves. Phlegmariurus monticola is immediately distinct from P. squarrosus (G.Forst.) Á.Löve & D. Löve s.l. that in Peninsular Malaysia is morphologically relatively uniform by a combination of its tufted, shorter stems 11-32.5 cm long (vs. single-stemmed at the base and (20-)40-55(-200) cm long), leaf midrib obscure above and prominent beneath (not distinct above and faint beneath), strobili more slender ca. 3 mm wide, that are in pairs and usually branch dichotomously once or twice (vs. strobili 4-5 mm wide, single and always unbranched). In addition, their distributions do not overlap; P. squarrosus is a lowland species grow ing on trees usually at less than 300 m elevation, while P. monticola is a montane species occurring at 1400-2100 m elevation. It also superficially resembles P. prolifera (Blume) A.R Field & Bostok in its slender strobili ca. 3 mm wide and sporophylls arranged in four rows, but it differs in its shorter, narrower leaves (8-10 × 0.75-1.5 mm (vs. leaves 10-15 × 1.5-2 mm) and its narrowly lanceolate sporophylls 0.5-1 mm wide (vs. triangular-ovate sporophylls 1.5-2 mm wide).

Distribution.

Peninsular Malaysia (Kelantan, Perak and Pahang).

Provisional conservation status.

Least Concern. It is found in most accessible montane areas in the Main Range suggesting that it is likely to be more widespread. The montane forest above 1000 m is protected because of the restriction on clearing forest on steep slopes. However, this does not apply to hill resorts where forest is cleared for resort infrastructure and at Cameron Highlands for vegetable and flower farms ( Kiew 1997). However, its populations need to be monitored because it is for sale in nurseries in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand (AR Field, pers. comm.) so collecting of plants from the wild may become a threat.

Ecology.

In Peninsular Malaysia, in light shade usually in lower montane forest, sometimes in upper montane forest, at 1400-2100 m elevation.

Etymology.

Latin, Phlegmariurus monticola - dweller in mountains.

Notes.

In appearance, it is immediately distinct from P. squarrosus in being less robust, in being tufted with up to 7 stems, having shorter stems that are only about twice the length of the strobili and leaves with the midrib obscure above and prominent beneath; while Peninsular Malaysian individuals of P. squarrosus have single stems (not tufted) that are longer so their strobili are about a fifth or less the length of the stem and the leaf midrib is distinct above and faint beneath.

Specimens examined.

Kelantan: Gunung Chamar Imin et al. FRI 71786 (KEP, L); Sungai Kenerong Imin et al. FRI 68171 (KEP), Kueh et al. FRI 58410 (KEP). Pahang: Cameron Highlands Aishah 15 (KLU); Holttum SFN 23443 (SING), Holttum s.n. May 1936 (SING); Imin et al. FRI 68482 (KEP), Imin et al. FRI 71946 (KEP), FRI 74765 (KEP, L), Imin et al. FRI 87114 (KEP), Nor-Ezzawanis et al. FRI 54517 (KEP), Poore 1019 (KLU); Fraser’s Hill Henderson SFN 11507 (SING); Genting Highlands Lim et al. GHC 1 (KLU); Aishah 22 (KLU), Stone 15422 (KLU), Tan et al. FRI 77645 (KEP, TAIF). Perak: Birch’s Hill Burkill SFN 12739 (SING); Gunung Hijau Julius et al. FRI 53305 (KEP), Sinclair & Kiah SFN 38728 (SING) .

New combination

Lycopodium pinifolium Blume (1828: 264) was described and recorded to occur from Malaya to Papua, but it was not until 1984 that this species appeared in Malaysian publications (as Huperzia pinifolia Trevis.) when it was recorded from the Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak ( Parris et al. 1984) where it was keyed out with Huperzia phlegmaria and distinguished from that species by its linear-lanceolate leaves at least six times longer than broad with a cuneate base and by its sporophylls with acuminate tips that protrude beyond the sporangia. A detailed account described and illustrated this species ( Johns 1991) based on specimens from Gunung Mulu grown in the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. However, it was not until Parris and Latiff (1997) listed it that it appeared in Peninsular Malaysian publications. However, its identity became confused when subsequent publications illustrated different species under this name. For example, that of Aziz-Bidin (2002, figs. 10, 11) illustrated P. tetrastichus and that of Noraini et al. (2010, figs. 47, 48) figured P. squarrosus . Names on herbaria specimens were similarly in a muddle. A full description is therefore provided below.

The name Lycopodium pinifolium Blume was an illegitimate name because it had earlier been used for an African species by Kaulfuss (1824). In 1874, Trevisan described Huperzia pinifolia Trevis. as a new name: in fact he was conscious of the illegitimacy of the name of Blume because of the (older) name of Kaulfuss. In this case (International Code of Nomenclature, art. 7.4 (ICN 2012)) the new name is typified by the type of the replaced synonym. Blume (1828), in describing his species, recognised varieties B, C and D but for varieties C and D he noted '(an species?)' implying that there was doubt that they belonged to this species. Specimens representing these varieties were all annotated by his hand, the labels noting only ‘Java’ without recording a collector, locality or date. The specimen annotated as var. C (barcode L 0057377) is closely similar to P. proliferus (Blume) A.R.Field & Bostock and does not belong to P. pinifolius and the specimen representing var. D is a piece too small to identify with certainty. The other two specimens both belong to P. pinifolius in their habit (relatively short dichotomously branching stems with dense, narrowly lanceolate leaves perpendicular to the stem) and the abruptly distinct, straight strobili. The typical variety (barcode L 0057375) has strobili that are branched dichotomously while var. B (barcode L0057376) has unbranched strobili, which represent an earlier stage in the growth of the strobili, which eventually branch. The herbarium sheet with barcode L 0057375 is here selected as the lectotype because it best represents a mature plant of this species.

Figures

Figure 3. Phlegmariurus monticola. A habit B portion of leafy sterile branch C strobilus D spores. (Drawing by Mohamad Aidil Noordin from Ezzawanis et al. FRI 54517).

Figure 4. A Phlegmariurus monticola B Peninsular Malaysian form of P. sqaurrosus s. l. (Photographs Imin Kamin).