Polystichum rufum M.Kessler & A.R.Sm., Brittonia

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

Polystichum rufum M.Kessler & A.R.Sm., Brittonia 57(3): 217, f. 2d, 4. 2005.

Range: — Peru and Bolivia (CO, LP, SC); likely to occur further north in the Andes.

Ecology: —Common; terrestrial in humid forests, along forest margins, and in plantations; 700–1800 m.

Notes: —Differs from P. montevidense in having uniformly orange large petiolar scales, and in growing at lower elevations (700–1800 m vs. 2100–4050 m). Overall, a more delicate species with thinner-textured pinnules. Some specimens of P. rufum growing at especially low elevations (700 m) approach P. albomarginatum in having dark-centered large petiolar scales, even though these are not sharply bicolorous. McHenry & Barrington (2014) included a single specimen, from Bolivia, in their analysis.