Pseudolycopodiella tatei (A.C.Sm.) 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 : 132-133

5. Pseudolycopodiella tatei (A.C.Sm.) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 26: 93. 1991.— Lycopodium tatei A.C Sm., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 57: 180. 1930.— Lycopodiella iuliformis (Underw. & F.E.Lloyd) B.Øllg. var. tatei (A.C.Sm.) B.Øllg., Amer. Fern J. 79: 153. 1989 b. Type:— GUYANA. Mount Roraima, at Philipp Swamp, 5100–5200 ft., 11 November 1927, Tate 350 (holotype NY [00144029]). Fig. 15B .

Lycopodium duidae A.C.Sm. , in Gleason, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 58: 311. 1931. Type:— VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Cerro Duida, Central Camp, 4800 ft., Tate 1010 (holotype NY [00143975]).

Plants with horizontal shoots closely appressed to the ground, rooted with short intervals, sparsely to densely branching in the horizontal plane, 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 excluding leaves 3–4 mm thick, thick and spongy. 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 × 0.5–0.8(–1) mm wide at the base, with smooth margins. Leaf bases not, or only slightly acroscopically adnate, short to long decurrent. Erect strobiliferous shoots 3–4 mm in diam. incl leaves, 1.5–2 mm excl. 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 × ca 0.8 mm, 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:— Venezuela (AM, BO, MO), Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Piaui).

Habitat:—Terrestrial, mainly in wet soil in upland areas, 15–1600 m elev.

Specimens examined:— GUYANA: Potaro-Siparuni, Pakaraima Mts. Upper Ireng River , 2 km E of Cipo sttlement, 750 m, Henkel et. al. 1158 ( CAY, P, U, US) .— SURINAME: Kappelsavane, S Tafelberg, Kramer & Hekking 3040 p.p. (U) ; W of Marataka, at Saparra-kreek, Maas & Tawjoeran 3218 ( BBS, U).— FRENCH GUIANA: Savane de Nancibo, Roura , 15 m, Boudrie & Léotard 4515 ( CAY) .

Note: — This species is distinguishable from Phlegmariurus iuliformis by its swollen and spongy horizontal stems. It occurs at lower elevations than that species. The spongy character of rhizome may represent an adaptation to temporary growth in shallow water.

Figures

FIGURE 15. A. Pseudolycopodiella krameriana—(Suriname, Kramer & Hekking 2778, AAU). A. Growth habit. A1. Horizontal shoot. A2. Close-up of horizontal and base of strobiliferous division. A3. Close-up of strobilus.—B. Pseudolycopodiella tatei—(Brazil, Harley & Prado 25578, AAU). B. Growth habit. B1. Creeping branch with swollen stem.