Sticherus pallescens (Mett.) Vareschi (1969: 180)

Gleichenia pallescens Mettenius (1864: 267) .

Type:— COLOMBIA. Lindig 273 (holotype P!, photo BM!).

Gleichenia bicolor Christ (1906: 279) . Type:— COSTA RICA. Río Navarro, Wercklé s.n. (holotype not found).

Distribution and ecology:— Mountains of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela. Locally common inside forests, on bluffs, and along roadsides in humid montane forests at 1200–2200 m.

Notes: — Two specimens from Bolivia (Bolivia, La Paz, Caranavi, Serranía Bella Vista, 1500 m, Kessler 11280, LPB, GOET, UC; Bautista Saavedra, Pauji-Yuyo, between Apolo and Charazani, 1200 m, Kessler 10054, LPB, GOET, UC) resemble Sticherus pallescens but have abaxial branch scales on the ultimate branches, whereas S. pallescens generally has glabrous ultimate branches. Unfortunately, the Bolivian material is fragmentary and sterile and cannot be treated neither as a distinct taxon, nor be placed under S. pallescens .