Pseudolycopodiella iuliformis (Underw. & F.E.Lloyd) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax.

Øllgaard, Benjamin, Boudrie, Michel & Cremers, Georges, 2020, The Lycopodiaceae of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, Phytotaxa 433 (2), pp. 101-134 : 128-129

2411 (CAY, US). 2. Pseudolycopodiella iuliformis (Underw. & F.E.Lloyd) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 18: 442. 1983.— Lycopodium iuliforme Underw. & F.E.Lloyd, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 120. 1906.— Lycopodiella iuliformis (Underw. & F.E.Lloyd) B.Øllg., Opera Bot. 92: 176. 1987. Type:— VENEZUELA. Bolívar: Summit of Roraima, 2,600 m, McConnell & Quelch 572 (holotype NY [00143999]). Fig. 14A–D .

Plants with horizontal shoots closely appressed to the ground, at least to 20 cm long, rooted with short intervals, sparsely to densely branching in the horizontal plane, sometimes forming small mats, bearing stiffly erect, dorsally arising, simple, at least to 30 cm tall strobiliferous branches. Horizontal shoots densely covered on all sides by leaves, 7–10 mm in diam. incl. leaves. Stems excl. leaves 1–3(–4) mm thick. Leaves of horizontal shoots uniform, usually upward secund and curved, acicular, flattened with a subterete to compressed leaf base (angular when dried), or sometimes terete or angular throughout, 4–6 mm × 0.5–0.8(–1) mm, with smooth margins. Leaf bases not, or only slightly acroscopically adnate, short to long decurrent. Erect strobiliferous shoots 3–4 mm in diam. including leaves, 1.5–2 mm excluding leaves, with uniform, radially arranged leaves. Vegetative leaves of erect shoots borne in alternating, irregular whorls of 4–6, these 2–4 mm apart, forming 8–12 obscure longitudinal ranks, appressed throughout, flattened, subulate, ca 5 mm long, ca 0.8 mm wide at base, evenly tapering. Strobili at least to 11 cm long, 4–5 mm in diam. with appressed sporophylls, to 14 mm in diam. with distended sporophylls. Sporophylls borne in alternating whorls of 5–6, forming 10–12 longitudinal ranks, subpeltate, with a basiscopic, compressed membranaceous wing on the stalk, the exterior face with a broadly ovate to rhombic basal part and an abruptly to evenly tapering, long apex, 5–8 × 1.5–2 mm, with finely erose-dentate margins. Sporangia borne on the sporophyll base, reniform, isovalvate, 1.5–2 mm wide.

Distribution: —Venezuelan Guayana (AM-BO), Guyana, and adjacent Brazil (not confirmed for Suriname).

Habitat:—Terrestrial on white sand, wet open sites, moss-covered rocks near water, boggy ledges, stream banks, (850–) 1500–2500 m.

Specimens examined:— GUYANA: Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, 1 km N of tip of northern “prow” of Roraima, El Dorado Swamp, 60°35’W 5°15’N, 2000–2200 m, Hahn 5507 (P, US) ; Upper Mazaruni District, N slope of Mt Roraima , 850 m, 16 Feb 1985, Renz et al. 14225 (U) ; Upper Mazaruni District, N slope of Mt Roraima , 2300 m, 16 Feb 1985, Renz et al. 14265 (U) .

Note:—Variable with respect to size, number of sporophyll orthostichies, and sporophyll shape.

Figures

FIGURE 14. A–D. Pseudolycopodiella iuliformis—(Venezuela, Steyermark et al. 132065, AAU). A. Growth habit. B. Close-up of creeping stem. C. Close-up of aerial strobiliferous branch. D. Close-up of strobilus.—E–H. Pseudolycopodiella contexta—(Peru, Foster 4102, AAU). E. Growth habit. F. Close-up of creeping stem. G. Close-up of aerial strobiliferous branch. H. Close-up of strobilus. Drawing by K. Tind.