Polypodium scolopendria Burm. f.

Mazumdar, Jaideep, Callmander, Martin W. & Fumeaux, Nicolas, 2019, Typification and nomenclature of the ferns described in N. L. Burman’s Flora Indica, Candollea 74 (1), pp. 93-109 : 102-104

Polypodium scolopendria Burm. f. , Fl. Ind.: 232. 1768.

≡ Phymatosorus scolopendria (Burm. f.) Pic. Serm. in Webbia 28: 460. 1973.

Lectotypus (designated by MERRILL, 1921: 335): INDONESIA. Java [?]: s. d., Pryon s.n. ( G-PREL [ G00360110 ]!) . Syntypus: INDONESIA: s.d., Pryon s.n. ( G-PREL [ G00360042 ]!).

Notes. – BURMAN (1768: 232) cited in the protologue several plates and two Pryon collections from Indonesia (“ malaice fimbar-minganang ” and (semicolon!) “ javanice daun sambang ”). The two syntypes are extant in G-PREL. One bear the Malay name “ fimbar-minganang ” from Pryon’s hand [G00360042] and represents a fertile specimen with a mature fern leaf. The second collection bears the Javanese name “ daun sambang ” from the same hand [G00360110] and represents a sterile specimen, probably collected in Java. An uncited Paul Hermann specimen from Ceylon extant in the library of the Institut de France in Paris (BIF-CEYL p. 41) ( Fig. 6 ) may also be regarded as original material; it was used by BURMAN (1737) ’s father for his Thesaurus Zeylanicus, a work cited in the protologue (see above Notes under Polypodium acutum and P. palustre ). MERRILL (1921: 335) made a clear reference to “ Pryon’s Javan specimen for which the local name daun sembang is cited” as “actual type”. This should be considered as an implicit lectotypification, despite the fact that the selected specimen is unfortunately the sterile one (G-PREL [G00360110]).

HOVENKAMP (2013b: 159) cited “ Herb. Hermann s.n., Sri Lanka [ Ceylon] (n.v.)” as type, but first selected an uncited specimen, and second failed to mention the institution of deposit and the term lectotype to effect the lectotypification ( TURLAND et al., 2018: Art. 9.12, 9.22, 9.23). VERDCOURT (2001: 24) cited as lectotype: “ India, Indonesia, Java, Pryon s.n. (G, lecto)”. In a footnote, he accepted Schelpe ( SCHELPE & ANTHONY, 1986: 165)’s citation of a specimen he had seen (“Type: India, Herb. Burmann (G, holo!)”), but Schelpe did not designate a single specimen as type.

KNAPP (2014: 122) cited a Pryon specimen at Gas lectotype (“ India, Java, Pryon s.n. (LT: G) // Indonesia ”) but again without referring to a single specimen.

Phymatosorus scolopendria is a common fern in the tropics of the Old World. Its native range is mainly restricted to the Malesian region, and maybe a few adjacent areas (A. Smith, pers. comm.).

Figures

Fig. 6. – Page 41 of Paul Hermann’s herbarium from Ceylon in BIF-CEYL with original material of Polypodium scolopendria Burm. f. [© Bibliothèque de l’Institut de France, Paris]