Parablechnum proliferum (Rosenst.) Gasper & Salino

Dittrich, Vinícius Antonio De Oliveira, Salino, Alexandre, Monteiro, Reinaldo & Gasper, André Luís De, 2018, The fern genera Lomaria, Lomariocycas, and Parablechnum (Blechnaceae, Polypodiopsida) in southern and southeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 362 (3), pp. 245-262 : 257-258

Parablechnum proliferum (Rosenst.) Gasper & Salino in Gasper et al. (2016: 217)

Blechnum proliferum Rosenstock (1907: 91) . Lectotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. São Paulo: Santo André, Rio Grande, 1904, M. Wacket 132 [Rosenstock Filices Austrobrasilienses, no. 338] (S-R-684). Isolectotypes B 20 0033012, NY149779 (photo), UC441992 (photo), US 01526847 (photo), US 01526848 (photo), US 00067438 (photo)). Syntype: F.W. Bauer 68 (not located). Fig. 3 A–C .

Struthiopteris vivipara Broadhurst (1912: 381) . Blechnum viviparum (Broadh.) Christensen (1913: 17) . Type:— COSTA RICA. San José: vicinity of La Palma, 1450–1550 m, 06–08 May 1906, W.R. Maxon 435 (holotype US 00067454 (photo), US 00067455 (photo), isotype NY149790 (photo), NY149791 (photo)).

Plants terrestrial; rhizomes erect to decumbent, the scales lanceolate, narrowly triangular or almost linear, tan, concolorous, 5.3–16 × 0.4–1.8 mm at the base, margins entire; fronds dimorphic, the fertile ones longer than the sterile, 122–220 cm long, the sterile 88–194 cm long; stipes atropurpureous, scaly throughout, with amorphous, tan, broad scales, and scales similar to those on rhizomes, of sterile fronds 32–80 cm long, 6.6–9 mm diam., of fertile fronds 69– 136 cm long; sterile blades 57–114 × 19–43 cm, pinnate, papyraceous, narrowly oblong, relatively abruptly reduced towards the apex to a conform pinna, truncate at the base, without vestigial pinnae; fertile blades 53–85 × 11–22 cm, pinnate, linear, relatively abruptly reduced towards the apex to a conform pinna, truncate at the base, without vestigial pinnae, abaxially scaly; rachises atropurpureous, with light-brown to whitish scales; bulbils present at the base of some pinnae, especially apical ones, adaxially; aerophores conical at the base of the pinnae abaxially, tuberculate aerophores present along sides of the stipes, especially at the base; sterile pinnae 14–21 pairs, 12–28 × 2.3–3.2 cm, petiolulate or sessile (proximal ones) to sessile (towards the apex), the apical ones proximally adnate at the basiscopic side, ascendant, narrowly elliptical to almost linear, on the abaxial costa with castaneous, concolorous, twisted scales, the margins with elongated teeth, narrowly triangular with widened base, on the veins with scales similar to those on the costae but tiny, pinna apices acuminate, margins dentate, plane to slightly revolute; fertile pinnae 17–20 pairs, 128–190 × 5.5–7 mm, linear, strongly contracted, with no green tissue beyond the indusium; veins free, simple or once forked, with clavate ends on the margin.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil (Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo [first record], Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo), furthermore Panama, Costa Rica, and Bolivia. Individuals of this species preferentially grow in montane areas between (300) 800 m and 1300 m, usually at forest edges, mainly in areas with waterlogged soil (at least in the study region). The species mainly occurs in areas of tropical rainforest. A relatively common species in elevated areas, not threatened.

Comments: This species is close to Parablechnum cordatum , from which it is differentiated by the atropurpureous stipes, the conical aerophores at the pinna bases and the tuberculate ones on the stipe bases, with bulbils at the bases of the distal pinnae and the scalier rachises. Furthermore, the croziers in Parablechnum proliferum contain a large amount of mucilage, a feature that does not occur in any other species of the genus in the study region.

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Carangola, Fazenda Neblina, Serra do Brigadeiro , 1300 m, 28 May 1989, Salino 760 ( UEC) ; Catas Altas, Parque Natural do Caraça , 20°05’46”S, 43°28’45”W, 1300 m, 30 August 1997, Salino 3382 ( BHCB, HRCB) ; Juiz de Fora , 16 August 1979, Krieger s.n. ( CESJ 2758 ) ; Lima Duarte, Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca , 20 August 1992, Novelino et al. 853 ( CESJ) ; Ouro Preto, Granjeiras, 1936, Badini 10466 ( OUPR) ; Santa Bárbara, Serra do Caraça, 06 December 1989, Oliveira 12 ( SJRP). Unknown municipality: Gandarela, 300 m, 18 July 1972, Emygdio 3491 (R). Espírito Santo: Castelo, Parque Estadual de Forno Grande , próximo à sede, 20°30’39”S, 41°04’53”W, 1100 m, 29 June 2008, Salino 13734 ( BHCB) ; Santa Teresa, Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi, trilha da Cachoeira, 19°55’14”S 40°33’37.3”W, 750–850 m, 02 December 2008, Salino 13992 ( BHCB). Rio de Janeiro: Teresópolis, Fazenda Carlos Guinle, 950 m, Brade 9537 (R) ; idem, 02 October 1929, 05 November 1929, Brade 9882 (R). São Paulo: Bananal, Estação Ecológica de Bananal , ca. 1100 m, 09 March 2001, Dittrich et al. 865 ( HRCB) ; Natividade da Serra, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo Santa Virgínia, Base de Vargem Grande , trilha para a Cachoeira da Boneca , 23°25’57”S, 45°12’36”W, ca. 800 m, 10 August 2001, Dittrich et al. 920 ( HRCB) ; Salesópolis, Estação Experimental de Boracéia, picada da cachoeira do Pilão , 05 March 1962, Travassos 405 (K, RB) ; Santo André, Estação Rio Grande , July 1904, Edwall s.n. ( SP 21689 ) ; idem, Estação Alto da Serra , April 1912, Luederwaldt s.n. ( BM) ; idem, Paranapiacaba (via férrea São Paulo-Santos), Estação Biológica , 28/IX/1967, Handro 1209 ( SPF) ; idem, Reserva Biológica do Alto da Serra de Paranapiacaba , 26 November 1980, Rosa 3948 & Pires ( SP) ; São Luís do Paraitinga, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo Santa Virgínia , estrada ao lado do Rio Ipiranga , ligando o alojamento ao Núcleo de Cunha , 09 August 2001, Dittrich et al. 907 ( HRCB) ; São Paulo, Parque do Estado de São Paulo, 08 October 1945, Hoehne 1882 ( CESJ, K, SJRP, SPF) ; idem, Jardim Botânico, Água Funda , 10 October 1970, Handro 2151 ( SPF) ; idem, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo de Curucutu , trilha do Rio Mambu , ca. 23°59’38”S, 46°46’31”W, ca. 800 m, 13 April 2001, Salino 6551 ( BHCB, ESA, HRCB). Unknown municipality: Serra do Mar , 1907, Wacket 338 (B, BM, K) ; Sant’Anna , November 1912, Brade 5388 ( HB) ; idem, Campo Grande , 24 May 1914, Brade 6905 ( HB). State Unknown: s.d., Burchell 2446 (K) .

Parablechnum usterianum (Christ) Gasper & Salino in Gasper et al. (2016: 217). Lomaria usteriana Christ in Usteri (1911: 135). Blechnum usterianum (Christ) Christensen (1917: 8) . Neotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. São Paulo: [São Paulo] Ipiranga, June 1912, H. Luederwaldt s.n. (SPF 94516). Isoneotype: BM000787908. Fig. 3D–H

Blechnum capense (L.) Schltdl. var. limosa Rosenstock (1915: 362) . Type: — BRAZIL.

São Paulo: Moóca prope urbem São Paulo, 09 February 1913, A.C. Brade 5821

(holotype S05-10153, isotype HB).

Plants terrestrial; rhizomes long-creeping, dark, the scales lanceolate or narrowly triangular, light tan, concolorous, 6.5–8.1 × 1.8–2 mm, margins entire; fronds dimorphic, the fertile ones longer than the sterile, 70–97 cm long, the sterile 41–80 cm long; stipes stramineous, nigrescent at the base, longer on fertile fronds, of sterile fronds 17–65 cm long, 2.1–3.4 mm diam., with scales similar to those of rhizomes, of fertile fronds 66–70 cm long; sterile blades 22 –38 × 11–14 cm, chartaceous to coriaceous, pinnate, narrowly oblong, truncate at the base (without vestigial pinnae, sometimes with the proximal pair reduced), terminal pinna conform; fertile blades 22–65 × 5.6–8.2 cm, pinnate, narrowly elliptical, truncate at the base, without vestigial pinnae, relatively abruptly reduced towards the apex, terminal pinna conform; rachises abaxially glabrous or scaly, adaxially more or less scaly, the scales lanceolate or linear, whitish to light tan, concolorous, margins entire (lanceolate ones) or dissected (linear ones); bulbils absent; aerophores absent; sterile pinnae 3–17 pairs, 2–10 × 0.8–1.7 cm, slightly to strongly ascendant, basal ones petiolulate, sessile towards the apex and then adnate, especially on the basiscopic side, narrowly oblong to almost linear, margins entire to sparsely denticulate, plane to strongly revolute, apices obtuse, acute or acuminate, on the abaxial costa with whitish, twisted scales with a widened base, margins denticulate, on the adaxial costa with twisted, linear, whitish scales, the apices filiform, on the abaxial side of the blade with tiny, filiform, whitish or light tan scales; veins free, simple or 1 × –(2)× forked, with clavate ends on the margin.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil (Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul). Endemic to southeastern and southern Brazil. This species is almost always found in marshy terrain. It also occurs less frequently in river ravines or on the roadside, always in sunny locations. It is predominantly present in tropical rainforests and, especially, in Araucaria forests, also growing in regions where grasslands predominate. It grows between 40 m and 1,400 m; in the southeast only above 800 m, in the south up to 900 m. It is a relatively common species in the study region and, since it grows in disturbed habitats, is not threatened.

Comments: The nigrescent long-creeping rhizome of this species easily distinguish it from the other species of the genus in Brazil. Despite the long-creeping rhizomes, the leaves are approximate, since they originate from a point where the rhizome becomes ascendant. When rhizomes are not present, it is not always easy to separate P. usterianum from P. cordatum and P. glaziovii . Pinnae in P. usterianum are proportionally longer and narrower, strongly ascendant and with a relatively pronounced scale coverage abaxially on the costae and laminar tissue. Sehnem, on herbarium labels, and also Alston treated materials from this taxon as Blechnum raddianum Rosenst. (= P. cordatum ).

Christ (in litteris) did not cite a specimen associated to this name, just a collection locality (Villa Mariana, São Paulo). We were unable to find any material we could consider as original in any herbarium that we have searched, as well as in any virtual Herbarium and even at BAS, where the material described by Christ is supposed to be found (Stafleu & Cowan 1976). Thus, a neotype is here designated for this name.

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Aiuruoca, rio Aiuruoca , 13 March 1989, Salino 658 e 660 ( UEC) ; Camanducaia, Fazenda São José , 22°45’18”S, 46°06’16”W, 1400m, 21 June 2000, Salino 5627 ( HRCB) ; Carandaí, Hermilo Alves , 14 February 1962, Duarte 6312 (B) ; Delfim Moreira , estrada para a região do Pico dos Marins, 22°32’19”S, 45°14’20”W, 1340m, 03 April 2002, Dittrich 1114 ( HRCB) ; Ouro Fino , 06 May 1927, F.C. Hoehne s.n. ( SPF 94531 ) ; Passa Quatro , Sertão dos Martins, 1400m, 10 May 1948, Brade 19063 & Silva Araújo (RB) ; Poços de Caldas, Alcoa , 15 March 2000, Tameirão Neto 2992 ( BHCB, HRCB) ; Sapucaí Mirim, Sítio “do Bob”, 19 August 2001, Dittrich 930, Salino & L.C.N. Melo ( HRCB). Unknown municipality: prope Águas Virtuosas , XI.1899, Silveira 80 (R). São Paulo: Campos do Jordão , estrada para São José dos Alpes, proximidades do Parque Estadual de Campos do Jordão , 1300 m, Dittrich 1104 ( HRCB) ; Itirapina, Estação Ecológica de Itirapina , 22°10’- 22°14’S, 47°51’- 47°56’W, ca. 705 m, 10 December 2003, Dittrich 1306 & Leme ( HRCB) ; Moji-Guaçu, Reserva Florestal de Moji-Guaçu , 23 May 1990, Simabukuro 86 ( UEC) ; Natividade da Serra, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo Santa Virgínia , Base de Vargem Grande , trilha para a Cachoeira da Boneca , 23°25’57”S, 45°12’36”W, ca. 800 m, 10 August 2001, Dittrich et al. 909 ( HRCB) ; São Paulo, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo de Curucutu, trilha do Rio Mambu , ca. 23°59’38”S, 46°46’31”W, 800m, 13 April 2001, Salino 6544 ( BHCB, HRCB) (mixed with Parablechnum cordatum ). Unknown municipality: Ipiranga, VI.1912, Luederwaldt s.n. ( BM) ; Campo Grande, Serra do Mar , V.1914, Brade 6906 (R) ; Vila Ema , XII.1932, Brade 12403 (BM, R) ; Serra da Bocaina, Pinheiro, Barreiro, III.1951 , Segadas Vianna 3012 & Starling (R). Paraná: Jaguariaíva , Rio das Mortes, 17 December 1991, Cislinski 26 & Cervi ( UPCB) ; São José dos Pinhais, Colônia Santos Andrade , 800 m, 27 February 1985, Hatschbach 48933 ( MBM) ; São Mateus do Sul, Fazenda do Durgo, 26 February 1987, R.M. Britez 1372 et al. ( MBM, UPCB). Santa Catarina: Frei Rogério , Núcleo Tritícola , 27°10’48’’S, 50°45’36’’W, 874 m, 18 May 2011, Korte 6903 ( FURB) ; Garuva, Alto Quiriri , 26°2’21’’S, 48°57’16’’W, 1200 m, 05 May 2015, Funez 4302 ( FURB) ; Paulo Lopes, Sertão do Campo / Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro , 27°53’36’’S, 48°45’21’’W, 295 m, 10 June 2010, Verdi 4940 ( FURB) ; Porto União, by new airport east of Porto União, ca. 750 m, 19 December 1956, Smith 8830 & Reitz (R). Rio Grande do Sul: São Francisco de Paula , prope Santa Teresa , 900 m, 29 December 1953, Sehnem 6530 ( PACA) ; São Leopoldo , 40 m, 30 April 1941, Sehnem 928 ( PACA). Unknown municipality: Santa Cruz, 1904, Jürgens & Stier s.n. (Fil. Austr. Exsic. 69) (R 109456) ; idem, Fazenda dos Prazeres, s.d., Dutra 18 (R) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. A–C. Parablechnum proliferum. A. Habit. B. Pair of apical pinnae showing proliferous buds. C. Rhizome scale. D–H. Parablechnum usterianum. D. Habit. E–F. Rhizome scales. G–H. Scales of sterile fronds, abaxial surface of costae. (A and C from Souza et al. 323, CESJ; B from Krieger s.n., CESJ 2759; D–H from Salino 10500 & Almeida, CESJ).