Elaphoglossum andicola (Fée) T.Moore, Index Fil.

Kessler, Michael, Moran, Robbin C., Mickel, John T., Matos, Fernando B. & Smith, Alan R., 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XXXV. Dryopteridaceae, Phytotaxa 353 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

Elaphoglossum andicola (Fée) T.Moore, Index Fil. 5. 1857. ( Fig. 44A–E )

Range: — Costa Rica; Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia (CO, LP, SC); Venezuelan tepuis; may also occur in Mesoamerica.

Ecology: —Common; epiphytic and less commonly terrestrial in humid forests; 1700–3200 m.

Notes: —Together with E. buchtienii and E. productum , this species belongs to the difficult complex of E. latifolium . Most specimens in this group were previously called E. latifolium (e.g., Mickel 1993), but in the strict sense that species appears to be restricted to the Antilles. The species in this group are very similar to each other and often separated only by combinations of quantitative characters. Elaphoglossum andicola is quite variable, and specimens so determined may comprise more than one species.

Figures

FIGURE 44. A–E. Elaphoglossum andicola (Nuñez C. 81, NY). A. Habit. B. Rhizome scales. C. Venation. D. Abaxial blade detail. E. Trichomidium. F–H. Elaphoglossum ambiguum (Moran 6016, NY, and Moran 5396, MO, from Ecuador). F. Habit. G. Rhizome scale. H. Venation.—Scale bars for habit = 5 cm, all other scale bars = 1 mm.