A synopsis of the Neotropical species of Sticherus (Gleicheniaceae), with descriptions of nine new species
Author
Gonzales, Jasivia
Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Casilla 10077, La Paz, Bolivia. Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH- 8008 Zurich, Switzerland. E-mail: michael. kessler @ systbot. uzh. ch
Author
Kessler, Michael
text
Phytotaxa
2011
2011-12-31
31
1
54
journal article
6085
10.11646/phytotaxa.31.1.1
2185a8cf-c15c-448b-b8c0-6055976408ed
1179-3163
4894648
Sticherus
× pseudobifidus
(Jermy & T.G.Walker) J.Gonzales,
comb. nov.
Gleichenia
×pseudobifida
Jermy & Walker (1985: 2)
.
Type:—
TRINIDAD
.
Arima-Blanchisseouse Road
, ca.
10°58’ N
,
61°10’ W
,
450 m
,
Walker,
T
.
6414
(
holotype
BM
)
.
Distribution and ecology:—
Best known in
Trinidad
, where it is fairly common along roadsides in humid forests on the northern mountain range at
200–450 m
, but also known from scattered specimens from
Costa Rica
,
Panama
,
Cuba
,
Puerto Rico
,
Dominica
,
Grenada
,
Colombia
, northern and southeastern
Venezuela
,
Guyana
,
Ecuador
, and
Peru
. It is likely to be more common and widespread than currently known.
Notes:—
This triploid hybrid between
S. interjectus
and
S. ferrugineus
was described by
Jermy & Walker (1985)
on the basis of cytotaxonomic studies of the ferns of
Trinidad
. It is similar in size to
S. interjectus
but has a much denser indument abaxially on the segments, thus approaching
S. ferrugineus
. On the other hand,
S. × pseudobifidus
differs from
S. ferrugineus
in having irregularly darkened parts on the bud and branch scales, whereas
S. ferrugineus
has translucent or only basally darkened scales.
Sticherus
×
pseudobifidus
has conspicuously irregular segment lengths, a character shared by
S
. ×
subremotus
. Also, both hybrid taxa have strikingly unequally developed 2
nd
branches, i.e., the opposite pairs of branches have different lengths.