Austroblechnum divergens (Kunze) Gasper & V.A.O.Dittrich

Dittrich, Vinícius Antonio De Oliveira, Salino, Alexandre, Monteiro, Reinaldo & Gasper, André Luís De, 2017, The family Blechnaceae (Polypodiopsida) in Brazil: key to the genera and taxonomic treatment of Austroblechnum, Cranfillia, Lomaridium, Neoblechnum and Telmatoblechnum for southern and southeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 303 (1), pp. 1-33 : 6

2. Austroblechnum divergens (Kunze) Gasper & V.A.O.Dittrich in Gasper et al. (2016a: 202).

Lomaria divergens Kunze (1834: 57) . Blechnum divergens (Kunze) Mettenius (1864: 225) . Type:— Peru. Huánuco, Pampayaco, without date, E.F. Poeppig s.n. [Diar. 1141]. (holotype LZ, destroyed, isotypes W?, BM, photo). Fig. 1D–F .

Blechnum floresii var. spruceana Rosenstock (1909: 292) . Type:— Ecuador. Andes, 1857–1859, R. Spruce 5332 (holotype not located, isotype NY149760, photo).

Plants terrestrial or epipetric; rhizomes erect to ascending, non-stoloniferous, the scales lanceolate, 4 × 1.2 mm (at center), dull, light tan, margins entire; fronds dimorphic, the fertile ones frequently longer than the sterile, 70–100 cm long, the sterile 43–90 cm long; stipes stramineous to atropurpureous, the scales similar to those on rhizomes, longer on fertile fronds, of sterile fronds 1.9–9.9 cm long, 2.7–5.1 mm diam., of fertile fronds 7.5–16.4 cm long; sterile blades 29–96 × 13–24 cm, chartaceous, pinnatisect, mainly glabrous, on adaxial side with amorphous, light tan scales mainly at pinnae bases, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, truncate at base, with 4–8 pairs of vestigial pinnae, apices gradually reduced; fertile blades 53–71 × 12–21 cm, pinnate, ovate, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, truncate at base, with vestigial pinnae; rachises adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrous or sparsely covered with amorphous, light tan scales; sterile pinnae 19–25 pairs (excluding the vestigial ones), 7.4–15.2 × 1.7–2.7 cm, most patent, the apical ones slightly ascending and the basal ones sometimes slightly reflexed, fully adnate, ensiform, margins finely denticulate, plane or slightly revolute, apices acuminate; fertile pinnae 15–20 pairs, 11.4–12 cm × 3–4.5 mm, linear, strongly contracted; veins free, simple (the distal ones) or commonly once forked, with hydathodes before margins.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil (Bahia [first record], Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo [first record], Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina), furthermore southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Greater and Lesser Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Not endangered in Brazil, where it is a relatively common species, especially at higher elevations. In the study area plants of this species grow generally in shaded areas close to streams in montane areas, mainly at the Tropical Atlantic Rain Forest, from 300–1350 m.

Comments:— this species is quite close to Austroblechnum organense (Brade) Gasper & V.A.O.Dittrich , from which it can be distinguished by its dull and lighter rhizome scales and by their many vestigial pinnae that make the stipes short, besides the plant size. It also resembles Cranfillia mucronata (Brade) V.A.O.Dittrich & Gasper , differing by its relatively larger size, by the vestigial pinnae, and, mainly, by the rhizome and stipe base scales—broad and light tan, vs. tiny and black in C. mucronata . Furthermore, fronds of A. organense have two or three proximal vestigial pinnae (none in C. mucronata ). According to Moran (1995), the South American plants identified as A. divergens probably represent several different species. In the study area, however, there is no great morphological variation within the species.

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Castelo, Parque Estadual do Forno Grande, 20°31’51”S, 41°05’56”W, 1400m, 28 June 2008, A. Salino et al. 13719 (BHCB). Minas Gerais: Aiuruoca, Picada para o Pico do Papagaio, 22°03’28”S, 44°38’59”W, 1629 m, V.A.O. Dittrich et al. 1874 (CESJ); Antônio Carlos, Instituto Missionário São Mateus, ca. 1100 m, 24 July 1989, A. Salino 1031 (BHCB, UEC); Belo Vale, 20°26’37”S, 43°56’10”W, 1300 m, 23 October 2001, A. Salino & F.A. Carvalho 7647 (BHCB, HRCB); Carangola, Serra do Brigadeiro, Fazenda Neblina, ca. 1300 m, 28 May 1989, A. Salino 756 (BHCB, UEC); Conceição do Mato Dentro, entorno do Parque Natural Municipal do Ribeirão do Campo, Capão do Felipe, 19°03’14”S, 43°37’04”W, 1200 m, 08 August 2003, A. Salino & R.C. Mota 8888 (BHCB, HRCB); Nova Lima, Estação Ecológica de Fechos , 20°03’58”S, 43°57’33”W, 11 July 2001, A. Salino et al. 7129 (BHCB, HRCB); Olaria, Serra do Cruz, ca. 21°53’24”S, 44°04’26”W, 1360 m, 23 June 2013, V.A.O. Dittrich et al. 1807 (CESJ); Ouro Preto, Sala de Jantar, 21 June 1910, A. Baeta s.n. (OUPR 8319); Simonésia, RPPN Mata do Sossego, 20°04’02”S, 42°04’40”W, 1150–1600 m, 20 May 2006, A. Salino et al. 11069 (CESJ). Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, Maromba, Serra do Itatiaia, 18 June 1930, A.C. Brade 10067 (R); idem, Três Casas, Serra do Itatiaia, 800 m, 02 July 1930, A.C. Brade 10381 (R); February 1882, A.F.M. Glaziou 13343 (K); Serra do Imbé, Forquilhas, April 1932, A.C. Brade & J. Santos Lima 11608 (R). São Paulo: Bananal, Estação Ecológica de Bananal, nas trilhas da Estação e da Pedra Vermelha, 22°49’10”S, 44°21’58”W, 1130–1350 m, 03 August 2001, A. Salino et al. 6252 (BHCB); Santo André, Paranapiacaba (via férrea São Paulo-Santos), Estação Biológica, September 1965, O. Handro 1130 (R, SPF); São Luís do Paraitinga, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Núcleo de Santa Virgínia, trilha para a nascente do Rio Itamambuca, 23°19’27”S, 45°05’19”W, 800–900 m, 08 September 2001, A. Salino et al. 7412 (BHCB). Paraná: Antonina, Serra Capivari Grande , 14 April 1967, G.G. Hatschbach 16351 (MBM, PACA); Jaguariaíva, 740 m, 11 May 1914, P.K. Dusén 15954 (BM); Morretes, Parque Estadual Pico do Marumbi, 17 April 1999, C. Kozera & O.P. Kozera 1022 (UEC). Santa Catarina: Biguaçu, Antinha, 04 March 1943, R. Reitz 234 (PACA); Blumenau, Morro do Spitzkopf, 27°01’30”S, 49°07’58”W, 800 m, 03 May 2009, A.L. de Gasper 959 (FURB); Brusque, Morro do Barão, 900 m, 25 July 1966, R. Reitz & R.M. Klein 18019 (HBR, PACA); Corupá, Palmeiras II, 26°27’36”S, 49°24’36”W, 938 m, 24 August 2010, A. Korte 4169 (FURB); Imaruí, Forquilinha, 28°09’53”S, 48°52’11”W, 666 m, 28 January 2010, J.L. Schmitt 1130 (FURB); Indaial, Parque Nacional da Serra do Itajaí, 27°05’24”S, 49°13’51”W, 601 m, 21 May 2010, A. Korte 3403 (FURB); Monte Castelo, Serra da Garganta , 26°49’03”S, 50°13’24”W, 119 m, 17 September 2010, A. Korte 4373 (FURB); Rio do Sul, Estrada Rio do Sul-Lontras, 27°14’51”S, 49°32’25”W, 720 m, 03 December 2013, A.L. de Gasper 3276 (FURB). Bahia: Camacan, RPPN Serra Bonita , 15°23’30”S, 39°33’55”W, 835 m, 03 March 2006, F.B. Matos et al. 1064 (UPCB, photo).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–C.Austroblechnum andinum.A.Habit.B. Pinna pair showing venation.C. Rhizomescale. D–G.Austroblechnum divergens. D. Habit. E. Base of sterile blade showing vestigial pinnae. F. Pinna pair showing venation. G. Rhizome scale. (A–C from A.C. Brade s.n., CESJ0003368; D–G from V.A.O. Dittrich et al. 1807, CESJ).