Devolia Li Bing Zhang, X.M.Zhou, Jian Jun Yang & Ralf Knapp, 2023

Yang, Jian-Jun, Parris, Barbara, Knapp, Ralf, Sundue, Michael, Zhang, Li-Bing & Zhou, Xin-Mao, 2023, Circumscription of the grammitid fern genus Oreogrammitis (Polypodiaceae) with the description of three new genera: Calligrammitis, Devolia, and Glabrigrammitis, Phytotaxa 597 (1), pp. 28-36 : 32-34

Devolia Li Bing Zhang, X.M.Zhou, Jian Jun Yang & Ralf Knapp , gen. nov.

Type: D. orientalis (T.C.Hsu) Li Bing Zhang, X.M.Zhou, Jian Jun Yang & Ralf Knapp

≡ Oreogrammitis orientalis T.C.Hsu, Ferns Fern Allies Taiwan Second Suppl. 44. 2017. ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology —In honor of the late professor Charles E. DeVol (1903–1989) based at NTU for his contributions to oriental botany, especially to the Flora of Taiwan. He was one of the five committee members of Flora of Taiwan and a specialist of pteridophytes.

Diagnosis — Devolia differs from other genera of Grammitidoideae by the following combination of characters: rhizomes dorsiventral, not articulated to rhizome, rhizome scales glabrous or with an apical seta, concolorous, stipes absent or very short, fronds not articulated to rhizome, laminae simple, without sclerotic margin, setae present, branched hairs with setae as branches present, veins simple, vein endings with hydathodes present on adaxial surface of lamina, sporangia glabrous.

Description —Rhizome scales medium yellowish-brown. Stipes very short or absent. Laminae oblanceolateoblong, apex obtuse, base long-attenuate, margin entire; midrib sometimes slightly prominent and concolorous to slightly darker on abaxial surface, not evident or slightly immersed on adaxial surface; veins extending beyond sori, ending with very evident hydathodes, visible in transmitted light. Sori superficial close to or slightly spaced from midrib in apical 1/6 to 1/2 of lamina, 1–9 in each row, one row each side of midrib. Lamina hairs pale yellowish brown, setae frequent on all parts of lamina, slightly denser at margin and around sori; forked hairs scattered along abaxial surface of midrib and sometimes occasional on other parts of lamina ( Knapp & Hsu, 2017).

Taxonomy —Currently only one species is known from East Asia.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Devolia orientalis (T.C.Hsu) Li Bing Zhang, X.M.Zhou, Jian Jun Yang & Ralf Knapp.—A. Habit and habitat.—B. Habit.— C. Lower portion of plant.—D, F.Adaxial view of laminae. –E.Abaxial view of lamina (photo credit: Ralf Knapp).