Elaphoglossum dannoritzeri M.Kessler, 2013

Kessler, Michael, 2013, A new species of Elaphoglossum sect. Lepidoglossa (Dryopteridaceae) from Bolivia, Phytotaxa 77 (2), pp. 33-39 : 35-37

Elaphoglossum dannoritzeri M.Kessler , sp. nov. ( Fig. 3 )

Type: — BOLIVIA. La Paz: Bautista Saavedra, ANMI Apolobamba, Chulina , por la carretera a Matara , 3370 m, 15°10’19”S, 68°55’05” W, 14 May 2006, A. Fuentes & A. Poma 10578 (holotype UC!, isotypes LPB, MO) .

Differs from Elaphoglossum mathewsii by its medium brown, entire to subdenticulate rhizome scales, narrower and relatively longer petiole scales with few or no sclerotic cells and no or only slightly developed pale margins, longer creeping rhizomes with more widely spaced petioles, and less dense adaxial blade scale cover.

Plants terrestrial. Rhizomes long-creeping, branched, ca. 2 mm in diameter, dark brown, densely covered with loosely appressed scales at the apices and petiole bases, the scales linear-lanceolate, basally rounded, apically acute to narrowly elongate to a uniseriate tip 1–3 cells long, marginally entire to subdenticulate, 3–6 × 0.3–0.7 mm, red-brown. Phyllopodia 1–5 mm long, largely obscured by scales. Fronds 0.5–3.0 cm apart, with fertile blades longer and narrower than the sterile ones, sterile blades 15–42 × 1.1–1.7 cm, fertile blades 18–44 × 0.9–1.2 cm. Petioles ca. 3/5 the sterile leaf length, reddish brown, moderately densely scaly, the scales resembling those of the rhizome but only 1–3 mm long and paler. Blades linear-elliptic, firmly chartaceous, apically shortly acuminate, basally cuneate. Veins evident, free, once forked, running at 50–60° angle to the costa. Hydathodes lacking. Costae moderately scaly, the scales similar to those of the blade surfaces but longer, 0.5–2.5 × 0.2–0.8 mm. Blade surfaces of sterile leaves adaxially moderately scaly, the scales rounded (if small) to lanceolate (if large), peltate, basally rounded, marginally toothed, 0.2–1.5 × 0.2–0.5 mm, whitish, deciduous and leaving small, blackish, raised scars on the blade surface after breaking off, abaxially moderately scaly, the scales rounded (if small) to lanceolate (if large), peltate, basally rounded, marginally toothed, 0.3–1.8 × 0.3–0.7 mm, tan with darker brown centers, deciduous and leaving small, blackish, raised scars on the blade surface after breaking off. Blade surfaces of sterile leaves adaxially with scales resembling those of the abaxial surfaces of the sterile leaves, intersporangial scales lacking. Spores 36–38 × 26–30 µm, perispores broadly folded with irregularly verrucate, non-perforate surfaces.

Distribution and habitat:— Known from at least 76 collections (Appendix 1) made between 2000 m and 4600 m in humid montane forest and humid páramo vegetation in the departments of La Paz and Cochabamba, Bolivia. Commonly found growing in open, rocky habitats such as roadsides.

Notes:— As defined here, Elaphoglossum dannoritzeri is a southern vicariant of the more widespread E. mathewsii which occurs from Costa Rica to Peru ( Mickel 1991, Mickel & Smith 2004), and perhaps also in Chile (see below). Although some specimens from Peru partly show morphological traits approaching those of E. dannoritzeri ( Fig. 2 ), the Bolivian specimens appear distinct. Since Bolivian specimens assigned to E. dannoritzeri have been collected from within 20 km of the border with Peru, it is likely that this species will eventually be found in that country as well. I have not seen specimens of “ E. mathewsii ” from the Peruvian department Puno, which abuts the Bolivian range of E. dannoritzeri , while specimens from the next department to the north (Cuzco) are typical of E. mathewsii . The contact zone between the two species is thus to be expected to be found in Puno. The type material of E. longipes is here considered to be an aberrant specimen of E. mathewsii with exceptionally long petioles, as already concluded by Mickel (1991). Such long petioles are commonly found in specimens of Elaphoglossum growing in dark crevices or among dense moss cushions (pers. obs.).

Elaphoglossum mathewsii has also been cited for central Chile, where it is rare at low elevations (60–520 m) in a small region between 40°19’S and 41°12’S ( Marticorena & Rodriguez 1995). I have been unable to study material from this highly disjunct population (2500 km south of the southernmost Bolivian specimens of E. dannoritzeri ), but the description provided by Marticorena & Rodriguez (1995) is more similar to that of E. mathewsii than to E. dannoritzeri , mentioning, e.g., ciliate rhizome scales and white-margined petiole scales. The Chilean plants are therefore unlikely to belong to the species described here and either represent true E. mathewsii or a distinct taxon for which the name Elaphoglossum fonki ( Philippi 1858: 104) Moore (1862: 356) is available.

Elaphoglossum hartwegii Moore (1857: 16) , which also belongs to this species complex, differs from both E. mathwesii and E. dannoritzeri by having broader, erose lamina scales without cilate bases ( Mickel 1991, Mickel & Smith 1994).

Etymology:— This species is named after the families Dannoritzer (Heppenheim, Germany, and Salzburg, Austria) in recognition of their support of botanical research.

Selected specimens examined:— BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: Arani, El Ronco , 17°24’S, 65°43’W, 3930 m, 10 May 2005, E. Zurita et al. 369 (BOLV!, GOET!) ; Ayopaya, 2 km Casay Vinto a Choro , 16°52’S, 66°38’W, 3500 m, 5 May 1997, M. Kessler et al. 9294 (GOET!, LPB!, NY!, UC!) ; Carrasco , Km 94 antigua carretera Cochabamba a Villa Tunari , 17°12’S, 65°41’W, 3500 m, 28 June1996, M. Kessler et al. 6789 (GOET!, LPB!, NY!, UC!) ; Carrasco , Km 130 antigua carretera Cochabamba a Villa Tunari , 17°7’S, 65°36’W, 2000 m, 13 July 1996, M. Kessler et al. 7235 (GOET!, LPB!, NY!, UC!) . La Paz: Franz Tamayo, PN-ANMI Madidi, senda Pelechuco-Mojos , localidad Tambo Quemado (lugar para acampar), por el sendero que va hacia Qalla , 14°41’S, 68°58’W, 3630 m, 5 July 2003, I. Jiménez 1877 (GOET!, LPB!, UC!) ; Isla Titicaca (Island of the Sun ) in Lake Titicaca , 3840 m, May 1910, O. Buchtien 2803 (Z!) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Principal Component Analysis of 7 specimens of Elaphoglossum dannoritzeri (filled circles) and 22 specimens of E. mathewsii (open symbols) from Peru (circles), Ecuador (triangles) and Venezuela (squares) based on ten morphological traits with significantly differences between geographical populations (Tab. 1). Lines and grey circles show the vectors of the morphological traits, which are labelled with abbreviations (Pet = petiole, Rhi = rhizome, Sc = scale). The four unlabelled traits on the far right of the graph correspond to color of petiole scale margins, percentage of sclerotic parts in the petiole sales, cover of blade scales, and spore length. PC axis 1 explains 44.9% of the variance (Eigenvalue 4.49) and PC2 17.3% (Eigenvalue 1.73).

FIGURE 3. Elaphoglossum dannoritzeri (from the holotype). A. Habit. B. Petiole detail. C. Petiole scale. D. Detail of adaxial blade surface. E. Detail of abaxial blade surface. F. Sterile blade scale.