Blechnum heringeri Brade (1966: 87)

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 : 214

6. Blechnum heringeri Brade (1966: 87) . Fig. 3D–F

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Paracatu, 02 April 1963, E.P. Heringer s.n. (holotype HB 34030, isotype K000633401).

Plants terrestrial; rhizomes erect, stoloniferous, elongate, the scales triangular or narrowly triangular, tan along the rhizome, to the apex of the rhizome predominantly atropurpureous or tan often with atropurpureous spots, 1.5–3.7 × 0.5–0.7 mm; fronds monomorphic to subdimorphic, the fertile ones with longer stipes, 19.6–62.5 cm long; stipes 11.0–42.0 cm long, 0.9–2.4 mm diam., paleaceous, deeply flattened at the base, this with scales similar to those on rhizome apex; blade 8.6–20.4 × 9.1–21.7 cm, often wider than long, membranaceous, pinnate at the base, pinatissect toward the apex, deltoid, truncate at the base, without vestigial pinnae, abruptly reduced at the apex to a conform pinna; rachis with short multicellular trichomes, hyaline, scarce to abundant, on both surfaces; pinnae 2–5 pairs, 4.5–10.8 × 1.1–2.6 cm, sterile ones oblong-lanceolate, fertile ones narrowly elliptic, slightly falcate to straight, sterile ones contracted above the base, slightly ascending with exception of basal ones which may be strongly reflexed, fully adnate to rachis except for the basal ones, which are acroscopically fully or partially adnate and basiscopically free, with acroscopic auricles, lamina hairy on both surfaces, more pronounced on the abaxial side, hairs multicellular, pinna margins appearing entire (finely denticulate), the apices acute or acuminate; veins partially anastomosing, with 1–3 rows of costal areoles, the remaining veins free, simple or 1-bifurcate, with slightly clavate ends on the margin.

Distribution and habitat: — Brazil (Pará, Goiás, Distrito Federal, and Minas Gerais). A rare species, known only from a few localities, with disjunct populations. Dittrich et al. (2013) consider this species as vulnerable according to IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2012). It grows inside and on the edge of gallery forests, between 700 and 970 m in the study area, in areas of the Cerrado Domain.

Comments: —This species of Blechnum was the only one with partially anastomosing veins known from the New World until recently. Dittrich et al. (2012) described two species of Blechnum from the Brazilian Amazon with partially anastomosing veins ( B. longipilosum Dittrich et al. (2012: 40) and B. areolatum Dittrich et al. (2012: 40)) . To differentiate between them, see the above-cited work. Brade (1966) described the species as Blechnum heringerii , but the correct spelling of the specific epithet, adopted here, is “ heringeri ”.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Paracatu, Reserva do Acangaú, Capão da Guariroba , 17°12’14.5”S, 47°06’54.8”W, 700 m, A. Salino et al. 10743 ( BHCB) ; São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, Capão Forro , 20°15’11.9”S, 46°24’26.1”W, 970 m, 31 January 2007, A. Salino et al. 11593 ( BHCB). Pará: Canaã dos Carajás, Serra do Tarzan , 09 February 2012, A. Salino 15151 ( BHCB) ; Parauapebas, Serra da Bocaina, 16 December 2010, N.F.O. Mota 1921 ( BHCB). Goiás: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Santuário do Raizama , 23 January 2013, G. Heringer & A.M. Silva s.n. ( CESJ 61864 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. A–C. Blechnum gracile. A. Habit. B. Part of a pinna showing venation. C. Rhizome scale. D–F. Blechnum heringeri. D. Habit. E. Part of a pinna showing venation. F. Rhizome scale. (A–C from L. Krieger s.n., CESJ50219; D–F from E.P. Heringer s.n., CESJ61864).