Selaginella chromatophylla Silveira, 1898

Valdespino, Ivan A., 2015, Novelties in Selaginella (Selaginellaceae - Lycopodiophyta), with emphasis on Brazilian species, PhytoKeys 57, pp. 93-133 : 107-108

Selaginella chromatophylla Silveira

Selaginella chromatophylla Silveira, Bol. Commiss. Geogr. Geol. Minas Geraes 5: 124. 1898. - Type. Brazil. Minas Gerais: Serra do Papagaio, Nov 1897, A. Silveira s.n., In Herb. Com. Geog. et Geol. Civitatis Minas Geraes No. 2604 (probable holotype: R! [as Herb. Silveira No.152, RB 179574]; isotypes: B! [B 20 0129405 (a)], B! [B 20 0129405 (b)]).

Selaginella chromatophylla var. megasperma Silveira, Bol. Commiss. Geogr. Geol. Minas Geraes 5: 125. 1898. - Type: Brazil. Minas Gerais: between Tiradentes and Casa da Pedra, Jun 1898, A. Silveira s.n., In Herb. Com. Geog. et Geol. Civitatis Minas Geraes No. 2756 (probable holotype: R! [as Herb. Silveira No.160, RB 179581]: isotypes: B! [B 20 0129406 (a)], [B 20 0129406 (b)]).

Selaginella breuensis Silveira, Fl. Serras Mineiras 79. 1908. - Type: Brazil. Minas Gerais: Serra do Cipó, Morro do Bréu, Apr 1905, A. Silveira s.n. (probable holotype: R! [as Herb. Silveira No. 395, RB 179580]: isotype: P [P00573791]-image! [as Herb. Silveira No. 395]).

Additional specimens examined.

BRAZIL. Bahia: Palmeiras, Serra dos Brejões, 21 Aug 2009, Moraes & van der Werff 2861 (MO, PMA, UC). Minas Gerais: Cadeia do Espinhaço, Gouveia, near Gouveia-Curvelo, 15 km past Gouveia, Fazenda do Tigre, Córrego da Onça, 18°33'52.3"S, 43°48'22.7"W, 960 m, 17 Mar 2007, Salino et al. (BHCB-n.v., PMA); Mpio. Conselheiro Mata, Serra do Espinhaço, between Conselheiro Mata and Diamantina, off MG-220 near km 177, 18.28°S, 43.59°'W, 1290 m, 11 Jan 2010, Prado et al. 2091 (MO, NY, SP-n.v.), off MG-220 near km 187, -18.27451 [18°16'28.23"]S, -43.71189 [43°42'42.80"]W, 1425 m, 11 Jan 2010, Schuettpelz et al. 1378 (MO); São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Parque Estadual do Rio Preto, Córrego das Équas, 18°08'43"S, 43°22'10"W, 8 Apr 200, Salino et al 5214 (BHCB-n.v., NY); Mpio. Serro, Serra do Espinhaço, between Serro and Milho Verde, off of Estrada Real, ca. 10 km SE of Milho Verde and ca. 10 km NW of Serro, 18°53'S, 43°43'W, 1010 m, 14 Jan 2010, Prado et al. 2100 (MO, NY, SP-n.v.). Rio de Janeiro: Frade de Macahé, 17-21 Jun 1937, Brade 15824 (MO, RB).

Discussion.

Selaginella chromatophylla was subsumed under Selaginella marginata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Spring by Alston (1936), Reed (1965-1966), Alston et al. (1981), and Hirai and Prado (2000). As currently circumscribed, however, Selaginella marginata is morphologically variable and ill-defined. My preliminary revisionary work on Selaginella marginata , including SEM studies of leaves and spores, indicates it is a species complex (here termed the " Selaginella marginata complex") that could include, at least, five taxa (Valdespino in prep.). Among these, Selaginella chromatophylla and Selaginella parviarticulata Buck are very similar because of their small leaf size. Selaginella chromatophylla differs from the latter by its lateral and axillary leaves with peltate (vs. basally attached) bases, lateral leaves with acroscopic margins short-ciliate along proximal ½ (vs. entire), median leaves with the peltate auricles ciliate (vs. entire or almost so), and microspores gemmate or globular (vs. corrugate). It differs from typical Selaginella marginata by its lateral leaves broadly ovate-elliptic (vs. ovate-deltate) with the peltate auricles ⅙ (vs. ⅓- ½) the length of the laminae, both halves of the laminae of equal width (vs. acroscopic halves wider than the basiscopic ones) with obtuse to broadly acute (vs. acuminate) apices, axillary leaves obovate-oblong (vs. ovate-deltate) with obtuse to broadly acute (vs. acuminate) apices, median leaves with acute (vs. long-acuminate) apices, and gemmate or globular (vs. echinulate) microspores. Selaginella chromatophylla differs further from the previously discussed Selaginella marginata and Selaginella parviarticulata by its stems usually branching in a zig-zag pattern.

The name Selaginella chromatophylla is provisionally used here for the taxon documented with specimens cited pending a full nomenclatural and taxonomic revision of the rest of the species in the " Selaginella marginata complex". Other names that could potentially apply to that taxon are Selaginella excurrens Spring and Selaginella distorta (Spring) Spring, which if proven to be conspecific would both have priority over Selaginella chromatophylla .