Moranopteris longisetosa (Hook.) R.Y.Hirai & J.Prado

Smith, Alan R., Kessler, Michael, León, Blanca, Almeida, Thaís Elias, Jiménez-Pérez, Iván & Lehnert, Marcus, 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XL. Polypodiaceae, Phytotaxa 354 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

Moranopteris longisetosa (Hook.) R.Y.Hirai & J.Prado , Taxon 60(4): 1131. 2011.

= Terpsichore longisetosa (Hook.) A.R.Sm., Novon 3(4): 487. 1993.

Range: — Costa Rica; Colombia to Venezuela and Bolivia (CO, LP).

Ecology: —Locally fairly common; epiphytic, on fallen tree trunks, or on rock faces, in humid forests; 2900–3600 m.

Notes: —Unmistakeable; blades 1-pinnate-pinnatisect. The Bolivian specimens are larger than specimens from Peru northward, have narrower, basally slightly constricted segments, and show a tendency for seemingly indeterminate blade growth.

In the molecular study by Ranker et al. (2004), the three species of this group ( Terpsichore Group 5 of Smith 1993) nested within Moranopteris ( Micropolypodium at that time), a placement supported by the light orangish to light tan rhizomes scales (unlike the dark scales in the remainder of Terpsichore ) and the sori placed at the bases of the segments (one per segment) and overlapping the rachises. This position, within Moranopteris , has been further substantiated by Hirai et al. (2011). Moranopteris longisetosa and M. achilleifolia (Kaulf.) R.Y.Hirai & J.Prado , from southern Brazil, are aberrant in Moranopteris by the pinnate-pinnatisect blades; the third species in this clade, M. gradata (Baker) R.Y.Hirai & J.Prado , also from southern Brazil, although pinnate-pinnatifid, has much wider blades than typical of most species of Moranopteris .