Phlegmariurus australis (Willd.) A.R.Field, 2018

Field, Ashley Raymond, 2018, Phlegmariurus vanuatuensis (Huperzioideae, Lycopodiaceae) a new species from Vanuatu, re-circumscription of P. nummulariifolius and new combinations in Phlegmariurus, PhytoKeys 109, pp. 53-66 : 58

Phlegmariurus australis (Willd.) A.R.Field comb. nov.

≡ Lycopodium australe Willd., Sp. pl., Ed. 4 [Willdenow] 5: 11 (1810). Lycopodium phlegmaria var. australe (Willd.) Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89(4) (1928). Urostachys australis (Willd.) Herter ex Nessel, Bärlappgewächse 224 (1939). Huperzia australis (Willd.) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 20: 70. (1985). Type citation. 'Habitat in societas insulus (v.s.)'. Type. societas insulis [ Tuha’a Pae or Austral Islands, Society Islands, French Polynesia, Aug1773, J.R.Foster & G.A.Foster s.n.] (lectotype, designated by Øllgaard 1989 p. 33: B-W 19341-01!; isolectotypes/syntypes: GOET01283*, GOET012844*, LE00008976*). Etymology. Named for the southern origin of the type gathering.

= Lycopodium subtrifoliatum Brownlie, Nova Hedwigia Beih., 55 (Pterid. Fl. Fiji) 24 (1977). Huperzia subtrifoliata (Brownlie) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 26(1): 93 (1991). Phlegmariurus subtrifoliatus (Brownlie) A.R.Field & Bostock, PhytoKeys 20: 48 (2013). Type. Mt. Korobaba, Viti-Levu, Fiji, 20 Jun 1971, G.H.Brownlie 1287 (holotype: CHR20341227*). Etymology. Named for its smaller size compared to L. trifoliatum Copel.

Note.

Phlegmariurus australis (Willd.) A.R.Field is an earlier name for the Polynesian black-stem tassel-fern recognised by Field and Bostock (2013) as P. subtrifoliatus (Brownlie) A.R.Field & Bostock. It occurs in Polynesia, where it is the sole, and easternmost, vicariant of the P. phlegmaria group. It also occurs in eastern Melanesia and in sympatry with Phlegmariurus trifoliatus (Copel.) A.R.Field & Bostock in Fiji. Phlegmariurus australis can be distinguished by its shorter ovate leaves and smaller shoot diameter compared with the longer lanceolate leaves and larger overall size of P. trifoliatus .