Pteris paraemeiensis (Ching et S.H. Wu) D.M. Yang

Yang, Dongmei, Wang, Jiamei, Guo, Rui, Zhu, Hongjuan, Ma, Changwang, Yu, Jing, Liu, Ya, Wu, Yougen & Shang, Hui, 2024, New taxonomic treatments in the Pteris fauriei group (Pteridaceae), Phytotaxa 647 (3), pp. 223-236 : 232-233

Pteris paraemeiensis (Ching et S.H. Wu) D.M. Yang , stat. nov.

Pteris oshimensis Hieron. var. paraemeiensis Ching ex Ching et S.H. Wu in Acta Bot. Austro Sin. 1: 10. 1983.

Type:— CHINA. Sichuan: Mt. Omei , W.P. Fang 3270 (holotype PE!) .

Description:—Plants 50–90 cm tall. Rhizome erect, with linear-lanceolate brown scales. Fronds clustered; stipe 30–60 cm long, basally reddish brown, sparsely scaly, upper part and rachis and costae pale green or light brown; lamina 2(or 3)-pinnatipartite, oblong, 30–60 × 20–35 cm; lateral pinnae 4–11 pairs, 14–25 × 1.8–3 cm, 3–4.5 cm apart, alternate or opposite, ascending-oblique, sessile, lanceolate, apex long-caudate, 4–9 cm long, base cuneate, lowest pair of pinnae often with 1–2 basiscopic short pinnules, terminal pinna same as lateral pinnae, with stalk ca. 1 cm long, pectinately pinnatifid nearly down to costa; segments in 24–32 pairs, falcate, sometimes oblong, 5–8 × 10–15 mm, entire; costae glabrous, abaxially grooved, with needlelike flat spines along costules; veins free, 2-forked at base; lamina pale green and papery when dried. Sori linear; spore number 32; spore size 43.9 × 32.8 μm.

Distribution and conservation status: —In forests, alt. 500–1000 m. It is found in Southwest China, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi. Due to its broad distribution and its occurrence in reserves we suggest that it should be classified as “Least Concern”, according to the IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN 2012).

Etymology: —When naming P. oshimensis var. paraemeiensis, Ching and Wu gave it the Chinese name “ 尾Ŀ Ṃ尾⁂ ”, because of its tail-like tips of pinnae. Here we kept “ paraemeiensis ” for its Latin name and “ 尾Ŀ ” for its Chinese name, to commemorate the contributions of Ching and Wu to the taxonomy of Pteridaceae .

Common name (assigned here):—Wei Tou Feng Wei Jue (尾ĿṂ尾⁂; Chinese name)

Specimens examined: — CHINA. Guangxi: Huanan Expedition Group 1986 (IBSC). Hunan: S.L. Jin & J.B. Zhang JSL-WLSQ 819 (CSH), K.G. Li, D.G. Zhang et al. TY20141225_1062 (JIU), L. Xie 080713XL01 (JIU). Jiangxi: D.G. Zhang & G.X. Chen LXP-06-2410 (JIU). Sichuan: X.C. Zhang et al. 0453 (PE), X.L. Zhou & J.B. Zhang ZXL05675 (CSH), W.P. Fang17405, 17956 & 17899 (IBSC), T.H. Tu 5152 (IBSC). Chongqi: Z.Y. Liu 4810, 9372, 10259 (IMC), Fengdu Expedition Group 500230-001-0891-01 (IMC). Yunnan: Z.Y. Liu 2022944 (IMC). Guizhou: J.M. Wang 20150506002, 20150506008-1, 20150508001 (IBSC).

Taxonomic notes: —The papery laminae and lamina shape of P. paraemeiensis are similar to P. setuloso-costulata . However, it differs in having pale green costa, fewer pinnules on the basiscopic side (1–2) and it occurs at lower altitudes (500–1000 m), compared to the light brown costa, 2–4 basiscopic pinnules and higher altitude occurrence (1000–2500 m) of P. setuloso-costulata ( Fig. 3 ). It differs from P. oshimensis by papery laminae, longer lateral pinnae (14–25 cm), and longer tips of pinnae (4–9 cm) ( Fig. 3 ).

Chao et al. (2021) pointed out that P. oshimensis was rare in China and some plants identified with this name could be P. pseudowulaiensis or P. paraemeiensis . Furthermore, Fraser-Jenkins (2008) treated P. setuloso-costulata as a synonym of P. spinescens . However, the molecular evidence in our study did not support his treatment, because they were positioned in two distant clades. Actually, P. setuloso-costulata had a close genetic relationship with P. paraemeiensis rather than P. spinescens in our study.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Types of seven taxa in the Pteris fauriei group.A. P. austrotaiwanesis (holotype: Y.S. Chao 3255, TAIF!). B. Illustration of P. latipinna based on holotype (Y.S. Chao 2092, TAIF!). C–D. P. setuloso-costulata (iso-syntype: B. Hayata & S. Sasaki s.n., TAIF!). E–F. P. fauriei var. chinesis (holotype: C. Wang 31659, IBSC!; Isotype: PE!). G–H. P. paraemeiensis (holotype: W.P. Fang 3270, PE!). I–K. P. omeiensis (lectotype: C.S. Chang 755, PE!; syntype: T.C. Lee 3209, PE!). L. P. oshimensis (isotype: U. Faurie 4613, KYO!).