Blechnum asplenioides Swartz (1817: 72)

Dittrich, Vinícius Antonio De Oliveira, Salino, Alexandre & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2015, The Blechnum occidentale (Blechnaceae, Polypodiopsida) species group in southern and southeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 231 (3), pp. 201-229 : 204

1. Blechnum asplenioides Swartz (1817: 72) . Fig. 1A–C

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Villa Rica, 1817, Freyreis s.n. (holotype S-R668-669).

Blechnum ceteraccinum Raddi (1819: 294) . Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado, Raddi s.n. (holotype PI).

Plants terrestrial or epipetric; rhizomes erect, stoloniferous, the scales narrowly triangular, light to dark tan, 1.2 × 0.5–0.7 mm wide at the base, margins entire or with few teeth; fronds monomorphic, 5.7–30.2 cm long; stipes paleaceous, 0.4–5.1 cm long, 0.3–0.4 mm diam., at the base with scales similar to those of the rhizome; blades linear-lanceolate, 5.0–6.8 × 0.6–1.7 cm, glabrous, chartaceous, pinnatisect, gradually reduced toward the apex and base, apex pinnatifid, base generally with semicircular lobes; rachis glabrous or scaly, the scales similar to those on the rhizome, multicellular hairs sometimes present on the abaxial side; pinnae 6–32 pairs, 0.5–1.1 × 0.3–0.5 cm at the base, slightly (the basal ones) to strongly (the middle and apical ones) ascending, completely adnate to rachis, triangular, margins finely denticulate, apex obtuse, acute, or mucronate; veins free, 1–3-bifurcate, with clavate ends behind the margin.

Distribution and habitat: — Brazil (Pará, Tocantins [first record], Bahia [first record], Mato Grosso, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Paraná), futhermore Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. Not endangered in Brazil, where it is a common species, mainly in Minas Gerais and Goiás. The species occurs in open vegetation or in forests, frequently along stream margins, sometimes on rocks. It grows in vegetation types of the Cerrado domain and in transitional forests between different vegetation types, from 950 to 1300 m. In the study area, it is more frequent in the Espinhaço Range.

Comments: —This species is frequently confused with Blechnum polypodioides Raddi (1819: 294) . Murillo (1968) treated both species as Blechnum asplenioides , with B. polypodioides and B. angustifrons being considered synonyms of B. asplenioides . Tryon & Stolze (1993: 55, t. 3, f. a), in the same way, treated both species as B. asplenioides , although it is obvious by the cited illustration that, for us, it is indeed Blechnum polypodioides . Sehnem (1968) has considered the species distinct, stating that B. asplenioides can be characterized by the straight, subsessile blades tapering to the base, with triangular pinnae. In addition to the characters mentioned by Sehnem, the basal pinnae in B. polypodioides are generally surcurrent and have an acute apex, whereas in B. asplenioides they are semicircular with round apex. We agree with Sehnem (1968) because we perceive sufficient consistent differences for maintaining both species. The morphological variation due to environmental factors is disregarded in the area, for both species grow side by side in Barbacena, state of Minas Gerais.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Arinos, próximo ao Rio Piratinga , 26 September 2000, A. Salino 5687 ( BHCB) ; Barbacena, futuro Distrito Industrial de Barbacena , 21°13’15.64”S, 43°44’36.24”W, ca. 1180 m, 09 December 2002, V.A.O. Dittrich & A. Salino 1258 ( HRCB) ; Belo Horizonte, Carlos Torres , 13 May 1934, H.L. Mello Barreto 5034 ( BHCB, HRCB, RB) ; Belo Vale, Fazenda Boa Esperança , 13 July 1999, G.C. Castro s.n. ( BHCB) ; Catas Altas, Parque Natural do Caraça, trilha para Cascatona , 31 August 1997, A. Salino 3390 ( BHCB) ; Francisco Dumont, Serra do Cabral, estrada para Francisco Dumont , próximo do Rio Imbalaçaia , 950 m, 16 May 2001, G.G. Hatschbach et al. 72106 ( BHCB, FUEL) ; Gouveia, Rio Cachoeira , 13 November 1985, G.G. Hatschbach & R. Kummrow 49609 ( MBM) ; Jaboticatubas, Serra do Cipó , 07 August 1972, G.G. Hatschbach 30047 ( MBM, PACA) ; Lima Duarte, próximo à Cachoeira das Andorinhas , 07 May 1993, R.C. Oliveira 217 ( CESJ) ; Moeda, Serra da Moeda , 11 November 1996, A. Salino s.n. ( BHCB 42723 ) ; Montes Claros , 16 June 2000, G.A. Melo 17 ( BHCB) ; Nova Lima, Mata da Mutuca , 15 March 2002, F.A. Carvalho et al. 91 ( BHCB) ; Ouro Branco, Serra de Ouro Branco , ca. 1300 m, 19 September 1998, A. Salino & P.O. Morais 4346 ( BHCB) ; Ouro Preto, Frazão , 23 January 1951, A. Macedo 3068 ( RB) ; Sabará , without date, L. Damazio s.n. ( OUPR 10430 ) ; Santana de Pirapama , 30 December 1971, U.C. Câmara s.n. ( CESJ 11399 ) ; Santana do Garambéu , 21°35’23”S, 44°08’34”W, 1100–1150 m, 06 July 2001, A. Salino & R.C. Mota 6981 ( BHCB) ; São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Parque Estadual do Rio Preto , atrás da casa de hóspedes, 18°07’34”S, 43°21’24”W, 07 April 2000, A. Salino et al. 5192 ( BHCB, HRCB) ; São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, Casca d’Anta , 20°18’20”S, 46°31’13”W, 14 July 1997, A. Salino 3209 ( BHCB, HRCB) ; São Sebastião do Paraíso, Baú de Santa Cruz , 20 April 1945, T. Luis 4827 ( ICN) ; Serro, Milho Verde, Cachoeira do Moinho , 23 February 2000, A. Salino & P.O. Morais 5095 ( BHCB, HRCB). Rio de Janeiro: unknown municipality, without date, A.F.M. Glaziou 2454 ( RB) ; idem, 1820, G.H. Langsdorff s.n. (P). São Paulo: São Paulo, Villa Ema , December 1932, A.C. Brade 12404 (R) ; unknown municipality: Rio Grande, 1914, A.C. Brade s.n. ( HB 38727 ). Pará: Altamira , Serra do Cachimbo , Cachoeira de Curuá , 300 m, 04 November 1977, G.T. Prance et al. 24817 ( RB). Paraná: Sengés , Fazenda Morungava , Rio do Funil , 14 December 1958, G.G. Hatschbach & R.B. Lange 5318 ( MBM). Tocantins: Almas , Fazenda Minnehaha , arredores do córrego do Cachorro , 11°06’55”S, 47°07’46”W, 400 m, 10 August 2004, B.M.T. Walter et al. 5243 ( RB, photo) ; Palmas, Distrito de Taquarussu , 08 March 1997, V.L.G. Klein et al. 3225 ( RB, photo) ; Porto Nacional, 27 July 1955, A. Macedo 3925 (K). Bahia: Rio de Contas, próximo à nascente do rio Bonito , 13°36’13”S, 41°47’52”W, 11 June 2000, R.M. Harley & A.M. Giulietti 53953 ( HUEFS, photo). Goiás: Cavalcante, Serra Nova Aurora, Cachoeira Ave Maria, 29 September 2011, J.M. Silva et al. 8029 ( CESJ) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–C. Blechnum asplenioides. A. Habit. B. Basal pinnae. C. Rhizome scale. D–F. Blechnum auriculatum. D. Habit. E. Part of a pinna showing venation. F. Rhizome scale. (A–C from A.C. Brade s.n., CESJ3366; D–F from A. Salino et al. 14733, CESJ).