Dracoglossum Christenh., Thaiszia

Kessler, Michael & Smith, Alan R., 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XXXVI. Lomariopsidaceae, Phytotaxa 344 (1), pp. 87-90 : 88

Dracoglossum Christenh., Thaiszia 17(1–2): 3–7. 2007.

This genus was described to accommodate two species previously placed in the genus Tectaria Cav. ( Tectariaceae ) ( Christenhusz 2007). The systematic placement of the genus was later determined to be in the Lomariopsidaceae ( Christenhusz et al. 2013) . Dracoglossum is characterized by erect rhizomes, entire (undivided) blades, reticulate venation with four or five rows of areoles between the midrib and blade margins, and mostly each areole with an included veinlet. The sori are round to ovate, usually about 2 mm in diameter, and placed irregularly in two rows between the main lateral veins. The plants form colonies by action of a terminal bud. In Bolivia, Dracoglossum could most easily be confused with species of the genus Campyloneurum C.Presl ( Polypodiaceae ), but the latter has creeping rhizomes with clathrate scales. It might also be confused with Mickelia R.C.Moran, Labiak & Sundue (at least juveniles of this genus), which differs by an elongated ventral meristele in the rhizome, longer-creeping rhizomes, lack of terminal buds on the laminae, sterile-fertile leaf dimorphy, and acrostichoid sori.