Blechnaceae

Smith, Alan R. & Kessler, Michael, 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XXXIII. Blechnaceae, Phytotaxa 334 (2), pp. 99-117 : 100-101

Key to the Bolivian genera of Blechnaceae

1 Blades climbing via twining rachises (plants hemiepiphytic), 2–pinnate .................................................................... Salpichlaena

– Blades not climbing, pinnatisect to 1–pinnate (rarely simple) ......................................................................................................... 2

2 Sterile and fertile leaves monomorphic or slightly dimorphic ......................................................................................................... 3

– Sterile and fertile leaves markedly dimorphic .................................................................................................................................. 6

3 Pinnae serrate to serrulate ................................................................................................................................................................. 4

– Pinnae entire ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

4 Rhizome scales> 10 mm long; pinnae 8–22 × 1.2–2 cm, broadly adnate ................................................................... Neoblechnum

– Rhizome scales <3 mm long; pinnae 4–15 × 0.5–1.5 cm, narrowed at bases ...................................................... Telmatoblechnum

5 Rhizomes stoloniferous; leaves <1 m long; rachises lacking scales or nearly so; pinnae adnate or constricted at bases and truncate or rounded, not stalked, entire ........................................................................................................................................... Blechnum

– Rhizomes not stoloniferous; leaves> 1 m long; rachises with scattered to numerous persistent scales; pinnae constricted at bases, cordate, stalked, serrulate, especially toward tips .................................................................... Parablechnum ( P. monomorphum )

6 Adult blades with flagelliform, bud–bearing apices (juvenile blades have conform apices); pinnae stalked, broadest at bases, biauriculate, with at least one auricle overlapping the rachis ............................................................................................ Cranfillia

– Blades with conform or pinnatifid apices, not flagelliform; pinnae adnate or if stalked, then broadest around middle and lacking auricles .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

7 Rhizomes long-creeping; plants usually hemiepiphytic; rhizome scales bicolorous, long-lanceolate, sparsely to densely denticulate ...................................................................................................................................................................... Lomaridium

– Rhizomes short-creeping to erect; plants generally terrestrial; rhizome scales various ................................................................... 8

8 Rhizomes short-creeping to erect, 0.3–1.5 cm thick; rhizome scales concolorous; pinnae adnate throughout ..... Austroblechnum

– Rhizomes erect,> 1.5 cm thick; rhizome scales bi- or concolorous; proximal pinnae sessile or short-stalked ............................... 9

9 Scales of rhizome apices and petiole bases needle-like, curved, thickened in a central band, strongly or weakly bicolored ............ ...................................................................................................................................................................................... Lomariocycas

– Scales of rhizome apices and petiole bases ovate or linear-lanceolate, one cell thick, bi- or concolorous .................................... 10

10 Blades with many pairs of gradually reduced proximal pinnae, these dwindling nearly to the rhizomes; stipe base scales linear-lanceolate, entire, the larger ones with a well-marked blackish mid-stripe contrasting with lighter brown scale margins .. Lomaria

– Blades with lowest pairs of proximal pinnae the longest, or nearly as long as more distal pinna pairs; stipe base scales ovate to ovate-lanceolate, entire to often toothed, concolorous and light brown or sometimes with blackish streaks but lacking a well defined black mid-stripe ............................................................................................................................................ Parablechnum