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New Melpomene Grammitid anazalea, a Species of Fern (Polypodiaceae) Marcus 1 Lehnert itut fur Pflanzenwissenschaften, Abt. Systematische Botanik, Geoi Gottingen, Untere Karspule D-37073 Gottingen, Germany t 2, elpomene anazalea Sundue & Lehnert from ted rock crevices in relatively dry paramos. The grammitid ferns are a monophyletic group within Polypodiaceae the - (Schneider et al., 2004) and comprise about 750 species with a pantropical southern temperate They distribution (Parris, 2003). are predominantly small plants exhibiting epiphytic and saxicolous and habits Kubitzki (Parris in Green, Moran 1990; Parris 2001, 2003; Smith and Melpomene in Riba, 1995). is characterized by having brown ventral root insertion, reddish clathrate scales with and sometimes apical also marginal gland-like hydathodes without cells, calcareous and deposits, distinguished from other grammitid genera by is having secondary metabolites with a distinctive sweet and spicy odor (Smith and Moran, While 1992). the circumscription of several genera within the grammitid has been ferns called into question by the phylogenetic analysis of Ranker et al. (2004), further studies continue to support the monophyly of Melpomene Many (Lehnert et in press). recent and herbarium al., field trips studies have yielded more new species science to (Labiak, 2000; Rojas, 2001) one MS like the presented which was here, discovered by while conducting work field in Colombia. Terminology follows that of Lellinger Grammitid with (2002). ferns are beset two types of laminar indument that appear be and to distinct not part of a homologous The term series. "seta" has been often applied the to stiff, darkened hairs that frequently occur in grammitid Melpomene ferns including (Smith and Moran, 1992; Labiak and Prado, The same 2005). treatments used the term "hairs" for the paler, often branched trichomes found mainly on young and petioles rachises Melpomene. we in However, find that variation occurs within the "setae" Melpomene, of sometimes representing species address: Staatliches t SUNDUE & LEHNERT: MELPOMENE ANAZALEA, A NEW SPECIES OF GRAMMITID FERN 209 autapomorphies and sometimes growth reflecting different conditions. For example, the "setae" of M. firma Sm.) A. R. Sm. & R. C. Moran are usually (J. quite short and patent. For this condition the term "acicular hairs" would be more fitting. In M. flabelliformis (Poir.) A. R. Sm. & R. C. Moran and many related species, the "setae" are sometimes flaccid and twisted. Such trichomes are better described as "ciliform hairs" (Lellinger, 2002). For the straight stiff, trichomes term or "setae", the "setiform hairs" available (Lellinger, 2002). is Furthermore, used in Latin diagnoses, the term "seta" would translate as which "bristle" (Steam, 2004), a notably different structure (Lellinger, 2002) is We Melpomene that not found in or other grammitid genera. prefer the terms is and "acicular," "ciliform," "setiform hairs" describe the simple pericel- to lular trichomes that are usually dark red in color with acute and "clavate tips, hairs" for the minute simple and branched, pericellular hairs that are pale in and color bear clavate cells at their apices or along their length. This second type of hair has been referred to as "glandular" (Parris, 2005) and appears to be homologous to the secretive gland-bearing branched hairs of Zygophlebia we (Bishop, 1989), but in the course of our studies, have not observed a Melpomene. secretive nature in the hairs of — Melpomene TYPE COLOMBIA. anazalea Sundue & Lehnert, nov. sp. SFF Boyaca: Municipio Chisaca-San Pedro de Iguaque, de Iguaque, sendero Apr subiendo a laguna de Iguaque, 05°41'3.1"N, 73°26'22.2"W, 3536 m, 30 la & HUA, Sundue NY; 2007, A. Vasco 1290 (holotype: isotypes: UC). Figs. 1, 2. A Melpomene peruviana (Desv.) A. R. Sm. & R. C. Moran statura minore cm cm X X M. (laminis 1.0-3.7 0.2-0.3 1.5-8.5(9.0) 0.4-1 in peruviana), vs. pilis setiformibus in pagina superiore crebris (vs. absentibus), in pagina inferiore aequaliter distributis (vs. in soris confertis) differt. Plants saxicolous, growing in moss layers and rock crevices (Fig. 1). Rhizomes short-creeping, horizontal 2A), frequently branched, 0.4- (Fig. mm cm 0.5 diam. Fronds 1.3-4.7 long, appressed to substrate, inserted onto the rhizome at acute to right angles, closely to moderately spaced (1.5- mm, mm). 3-4 X 6-10 wide, dark brown, 3.0 Scales 0.3-0.4 cells clathrate, apex iridescent, narrowly cordate the base, attenuate at the (Fig. 2B); apical at 3-10 X gland-like cells 1-4, linearly to furcately arranged (Fig. 2C). Petioles 0.2-0.3 mm, proximally distally marginate, with few to many, dark terete, mm brown, spreading, simple and branched setiform 1.3-1.5 long, hairs, mm clavate hairs present on crosiers and persistent on older fronds, 0.2-0.4 and sunken long 2D). Rachises castaneous to blackish, planar slightly (Fig. with adaxially, hemispherically protruding abaxially, scattered setiform hairs mm on both the abaxial and adaxial sides, the setiform hairs 1.0-1.5 long, provided with spreading, dark brown, the abaxial side of the rachises also Laminae X scattered simple and branched clavate hairs. 1.0-3.7 0.2-0.3 cm, linear to narrowly elliptic, the bases cuneate, the apices acute, 1-pinnatisect throughout, with 10-20 pairs of segments; segments oblong, fully adnate, the bases slightly decurrent, the apices rounded, the costae not visible (Figs. 2E, 1-2 proximal segment F); pairs usually markedly smaller than subsequent segments, and with more the base strongly decurrent, the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the lamina as well as the segment margins densely provided with mm brown dark setiform hairs, 1.0-1.5 long, spreading 2E, the (Figs. F), abaxial surface of the lamina provided with and also simple scattered branched clavate hairs; stomata not hydathodes and visible; present, small inconspicuous; 1-3 sori per segment, confluent at maturity, with setiform hairs like those of the laminae (Fig. 2E). The name = refers to the drought resistance of the species (Greek an- not; = azaleos dry). This minute and known distinctive species only from is a single collection made in Santuario Flora Fauna Iguaque y in the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia, where grows on it protected rock ledges in dry paramo with No HUA Espeletia at 3536 m. further collections were located COL. at either or The SFF Iguague on situated the western is slope of Colombia's Cordillera Oriental in a region of relatively dry paramos (Rangel-Churio, 2000). Despite known we being from a single gathering, are confident that this plant new we know represents a species from as a revision of the genus (Lehnert, unpublished data) that no comparable specimens are located in the major world herbaria of the Acknowledgements) and (see no that species exist for SUNDUE NEW & LEH \X AZALEA, A SPECIES OF GRAMMITID FERN : AMERICAN FERN VOLUME NUMBER JOURNAL: 212 98 4 (2008) which M. anazalea could be mistaken for or regarded as a mere morphotype. It km which remarkable that this species, occurs within 130 of Bogota, has not is been collected and brought to our attention until now. Melpomene many anazalea most M. peruviana in respects similar to is & (Desv.) A. R. Sm. R. C. Moran, but differs from that species by having abundant setiform hairs on both sides of the rachises and laminae that are not By clustered in the comparison, the laminae of M. peruviana have sori. The setiform hairs clustered in the sori but are adaxially glabrous. rachises of M. peruviana moderately and moderately on are setose abaxially, setose the proximal half adaxially. The segments of M. anazalea are commonly round at their tips, whereas those of M. peruviana are often more deltate (to 3 times longer than broad) with more acute Melpomene peruviana tips. further differs by having readily visible stomata on the abaxial side of the lamina. Otherwise, the similarities concerning morphology and ecology are considerable. The rhizomes and scales of the two species are indistinguishable, and both occur in areas that are apparently too dry for other members of the genus. The may appressed fronds be an adaptation to avoid desiccation in the cold and windy environment of the paramos. With nearly isodiametric segments and its common its clearly alate petioles, M. anazalea also reminiscent of the is M. species moniliformis (Lagasca ex Sw.) A. Sm. & Moran which was R. R. C. & collected nearby {Sundue A. Vasco 1288, NY), but M. moniliformis appears virtually glabrous at first sight (shorter, often ephemeral and inconspicuous common hairs are on and and petioles in the sori) has straight, erect fronds. uncommon Adaxially setose laminae are in Melpomene. Other species with Melpomene this character are pilosissima (M. Martens & Galeotii) A. R. Sm. & R. Moran, M. huancabambensis C. Lehnert nov. and M. michaelis sp. ined., Lehnert sp. nov. ined. These species are much larger than M. anazalea, have all longer segments (3-5 times longer than and have broad), fronds that are not appressed to the substrate but rather hang from branches rocky freely tree or Of ledges. these species, only M. pilosissima occurs within the range of M. anazalea, but grows lower montane it at elevations in forests; the other two, M. huancabambensis and M. known michaelis, are only from the central Andes. AAU, of the following BM, BHCB, s herbaria: B, C, C( COLO, CUZ, GOET, K, LOJA, LPB, P, QCA, QCNE, RB, S, SP, TUR, UC, US, USM. He thanks the DA (German Academic Exchange DFG Service) and the (German Research Foundation) financing for fi and trips to Bolivia Ecuador in the years 2002-2004 as part of his studies on Melpomene. MS thanks Alejandra Vasco Gutierez, Alejandro Marin, and Octavio Betancur lor assistance Literature Cited new ov, L. E. 1989. Zygophlebia, a genus of Grammitida* New ak, P. H. 2000. species and new combinatio: (Pteridophyta). Brittonia 52:246-255. SUNDUE MELPOMENE AN NEW & LEHNERT: AZALEA, A OF GRAMMITID SPECIES FERN 213 Labiak, P. H. and Prado. 2005. As especies de Melpomene e Micropolypodium (Grammitidaceae- J. Pteridophyta) no Brasil. Bol. Bot. Univ. Sao Paulo 23:51-69. M. Lehnert, M., Kksm.hr. A. Schmidt-Leb^hn, and Ni. S. Klimas, S. Fehlberc; T. A. Ranker, (in press). Phylogeny genus Melpomene DNA of the (Polypodiaceae) from inferred chloroplast analysis. 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