Austroblechnum squamipes (Hieron.) 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 : 12

5. Austroblechnum squamipes (Hieron.) Gasper & V.A.O.Dittrich in Gasper et al. (2016a: 203)

Blechnum mochaenum var. squamipes (Hieron.) de la Sota (1972b: 196) . Blechnum lanceolatum var. squamipes Hieronymus (1896: 381) . Type:— ARGENTINA. Córdoba: Sierra de Achala, 03 December 1878, G.H.E.W. Hieronymus s.n. (Holotype B 20 0031627, isotypes B 20 0031626, P, SI n.v.). Fig. 3D–F .

Plants epipetric; rhizomes erect to ascending, stoloniferous, the scales ovate or ovate-lanceolate, tan, concolorous, 2.3–2.8 × 0.8–1.1 mm at the base, margins entire; fronds dimorphic, the fertile ones generally longer than the sterile, 20–31 cm long, the sterile 9–23 cm long; stipes for the most part atropurpureous and glabrous, longer on fertile fronds, of sterile fronds 0.9–3.1 cm long, 0.5–1 mm diam., proximally with scales similar to those on rhizomes, of fertile fronds 4.4–9.7 cm long; sterile blades 8–21 × 1.5–4.7 cm, glabrous, membranaceous to chartaceous, pinnatisect, narrowly obtrulate to oblanceolate, gradually reduced to apices and bases, proximally to semicircular lobes; fertile blades 7.9–11.9 × 1.7–2.5 cm, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, truncate at base, with some vestigial pinnae proximally; rachises glabrous on both sides except for sparse, amorphous, tan scales with entire margins abaxially; sterile pinnae 13–27 pairs, 9–20 × 5–8 mm, patent (proximal ones) to ascending (median and distal ones), fully adnate, narrowly oblong, falcate, margins entire, plane, apices rounded (proximal ones), obtuse or acute (median and distal ones); fertile pinnae 10–14 pairs (excluding the vestigial ones), 9–20 × 1.9–2.4 mm, strongly ascending, linear, strongly contracted, with no green tissue beyond indusium; veins free, regularly forked or with 1–(2) distal pairs simple, with hydathodes before margins.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul), furthermore Bolivia and Argentina. It’s a rare species in Brazil, with just a few specimens recorded from high areas (between 800 and 1000 m) in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina plateaus, on rocky cliffs in grasslands mixed with Araucaria forests. In Brazil, the species is considered as endangered by Dittrich et al. (2013).

Comments: —The closest species, in the study area, is Austroblechnum lehmannii (see this taxon for differences between them). The species nomenclature is confusing and was clarified by Sota (1972b). Sehnem (1968) has treated the specimens of this taxon as Blechnum lanceolatum var. achalense Hieronymus (1896: 381) (= Blechnum mochaenum var. achalense (Hieron.) Sota (1972b: 196)) , a variety not found in Brazil and, according to Alan R. Smith (pers. com.), probably a synonym of Austroblechnum vallegrandense (M. Kessler & A.R. Sm. in Kessler et al. 2007: 79) Gasper & V.A.O.Dittrich in Gasper et al. (2016a: 203).

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: Cambará do Sul, Aparados, Fortaleza , 1,000 m, 02 May 1970, A. Sehnem 10961 ( PACA) ; São Francisco de Paula, Taimbé, 800 m, 13 February 1956, A. Sehnem 6798 ( MBM, PACA). Santa Catarina: Bom Jardim da Serra, Morro da Igreja , 28°07’24”S, 49°28’48”W, 08 April 2010, A. Salino 14737 ( FURB) ; Urubici ; Serra do Oratório , April 1889, E. Ule 306 (P) ; idem, RPPN Leão da Montanha , 13 November 2011, A.L. de Gasper 2959 ( FURB) ; Urupema, Fazenda Farofa , 1,535 m, 04 April 2007, A. Salino 11979 ( ESA) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. A–C. Austroblechnum penna-marina. A. Habit. B. Pinnae and venation pattern. C. Rhizome scale. D–F. Austroblechnum squamipes. D. Habit. E. Base of blade showing pinnae and venation. F. Rhizome scale. (A–C from A. Salino et al. 14745, BHCB; D–F from A. Salino et al. 12036, CESJ).