Pleopeltis monoides (Weath.) Salino (2009: 107)

Souza, Filipe Soares De & Salino, Alexandre, 2021, Pleopeltis (Polypodiaceae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 512 (4), pp. 213-256 : 240

14. Pleopeltis monoides (Weath.) Salino (2009: 107) . Figs. 11A–H , 15E , 17H , 19E–F . Polypodium monoides Weatherby (1947: 165) . Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Forest of the Gongogy Basim, 100–300 m, Curran 274 (holotype: GH! image, isotype, US!)

Plants epiphytic, terrestrial or epipetric. Rhizomes short-creeping, with scales linear-triangular to lanceolate, brown, base rounded with a dark brown to blackish point of attachment, apex long-acuminate, margin brown and laciniate; fronds monomorphic 8–65 × 2–7 cm; petiolate, petioles short, terete to angulate, 0.1–4 cm long, without wings, scaly; laminae 8–60 cm long pinnatisect, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, base gradually reduced, apex acuminate to acute; rachises terete, scaly; pinnae 24–40 pairs, proximal 2–12 pairs reduced, widely-triangular, medial pinnae 0.6–4 × 0.2–0.6 cm, linear, base adnate to the rachises, auricle present, hydathodes present, apex attenuate, margin entire, scaly on both surfaces; venation anastomosing; frond scales with base rounded and long-acuminate to the filiform apex or ovate (those of sori), stramineous to brown, base with a brown to dark brown point of attachment, margin hyaline or stramineous to brown and dentate to laciniate; sori rounded, medial, covered by scales; spores verrucate with dense globules.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Arataca , Serra das Lontras, 29 April 2006, A. Amorim 5976 ( CEPEC) ; Camacan, Fazenda Serra Bonita , 2 February 2005, F.B. Matos 281 ( CEPEC) ; Itapebi, Lombardia , 22 November 2006, A.P. Fontana 2537 ( RB) ; Jussari, Rod. Jussari / Palmira , 13 August 1998, A. Amorim 2471 ( CEPEC) ; Mucugê, Guiné , 5 October 2005, C.F. Azevêdo-Gonçalves 1031 ( HUEFS) ; Una, Estrada São José-Una , 7 April 1995, A. Amorim 1673 ( ALCB, HUEFS) . Pará: Vila Nova, Rio Tapajós , 21 December 1951, J.M. Pires 3572 ( US).

Distribution and habitat: —Restricted to the states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Pará, and Rondônia ( Fig. 13A ), where it occurs mainly on rocks in the forest formations, between 100–1800 m.

Notes: —This species is easily recognized by its scales with base rounded and long-acuminate to the filiform apex on all parts of the lamina and gradually reduced base of the lamina with deltoid to widely triangular, reduced pinnae. In Brazil, it can be confused with P. bombycina , but the pinnae at the base of the lamina are deltoid to widely triangular in P. monoides and linear in P. bombycina .

This species is categorized as Endangered (EN) because it has a small area of occupation and extent of occurrence (MMA 2014). Pleopeltis monoides occurs in a few areas of rocky outcrops.Some locations are protected in Conservation Units, but other areas are used for extraction of rocks for commercial use.

Figures

FIGURE 11. A–H. Pleopeltis monoides. A. Habit; B. Rhizome scale; C. Petiole scale; D. Adaxial rachis scale; E. Abaxial rachis scale; F. Adaxial laminar scale; G.Abaxial laminar scale. H. Sorus scale. I–P. P. pleopeltidis. I. Habit; J. Rhizome scale; K. Petiole scale; L.Adaxial rachis scale; M. Abaxial rachis scale; N. Adaxial laminar scale; O. Abaxial laminar scale; P. Sorus scale.

FIGURE 13. Distribution of four species of Pleopeltis in Brazil. A. P. monoides; B. P. pleopeltidis; C. P. pleopeltifolia; D. P. burchellii.

FIGURE 15. Spores of nine species of Pleopeltis from Brazil. A. P. lepidopteris; B. P. macrocarpa; C. P. minarum; D. P. minima; E. P. monoides; F. P. pleopeltidis; G. P. pleopeltifolia; H. P. stolzei; I. P. trindadensis. Scale bar = 20 mm

FIGURE 17. Rhizome scales of seven species of Pleopeltis from Brazil. A. P. burchelii, rhizome; B. P. minima, rhizome; C. P. gyroflexa; D. P. stolzei; E. P. minima; F. P. macrocarpa; G. P. bombycina; H. P. monoides; I. P. stolzei; J. P. burchelii.

FIGURE 19. Laminar indument of three species of Pleopeltis from Brazil. A. P. alborufula, adaxial surface; B. P. alborufula, abaxial surface; C. P. burchelii, adaxial surface; D. P. burchelii, abaxial surface; E. P. monoides, adaxial surface; F. P. monoides, abaxial surface.