American Fern Journal 85(3):75-82 (1995) New macrocarpa Combinations in the Pleopeltis group (Polypodiaceae: Polypodieae) Andrews Elisabeth Hooper^ KS Department of Botany, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 66045 m Sim and epiphytic, and the species occur most frequently between 1500 and 2500 m common They wet in disturbed habitats of forested areas. are especially and on such and along roadsides, edges of pastures, cultivated trees as coffee citrus. In addition to their simple leaves, members of the P. macrocarpo group are characterized by anastomosing venation; large sori subtended by a nexus of veinlets; rhizome, and soral scales that are peltately attached and at leaf, chromosome number x=34 The least partially clathrate; and a base of or 35. com form a mam ment most innatifid leaves, of the sf simole leaves and belong to the m isozymic circumscription on paraphyses two because of the reliance peltate as arisen reasons. for First, R munchii and the main diagnostic feature for the genus, several species (e.g., R have been included in Pleopeltis, despite the fact that they share fallax) R and members of the macrocarpa group other para members Polypodium Margin macrocarpa group and scaly-leafed of (subg. Anthony and Mickel and (Wagner and Wagner, 1975; Schelpe, 1985; Beit ia) boundary two these groups. DNA (Andrews isozyme and chloroplast surveys Furthermore, preliminary and Haulier and Ranker, in press] revealed greater genetic affin- Haufler, 1990; R members macrocarpa and between two Polypodium species of the ity scaly group than between the former and non-scaly polypodiums. This genetic ev- and indu- rhizome, soral idence, coupled with the strong similarities in leaf, Windham mentum and Hennipman, led between two (Baayen 1987), the Whereas Polypodium species into Pleopeltis. this four scaly (1993) to transfer new evolutionary relationships arrangement more accurately portrays the MO Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville, Present address: Division of Science, ^ 63501. AMERICAN FERN VOLUME NUMBER 76 JOURNAL: 85 3 (1995) among these taxa, Pleopeltis remains a heterogeneous assemblage of species that difficuh circumscribe. to is Despite these perturbations the generic the simple-leafed members at level, of Pleopeltis remain a relatively cohesive and apparently monophyletic group that has received little systematic attention in the past (but see Weatherby, A R 1922). revision of the macrocarpa group was initiated to explore taxo- nomic and among evolutionary members and relationships its to serve as a springboard for additional studies within Pleopeltis and the Polypodieae. The results of these studies will appear elsewhere; the purpose communi- of this cation to present the necessary nomenclatural changes is that arose as a result of these studies. um complanata comb peltis (Weath.) E.A. Hooper, G latum complanatum L. var. Weath., Contr. macrocarpa (Bory ex complanata Willd.) Kaulf. var. (Weath.) Lel- Wash. 1977.— Proc. Biol. Soc. 89:722. Type: Costa Rica, Pcia. Car- J m Tiplanata occurs from 1200 2300 montane to in m Panama. has been maintained It as a variety of P. {^Polypodium lanceolatum Weath L.) since original descrlntion bv its m it is sufficiently distinct from P. macrocarpa to be recognized as a separate species. For example, P. complanata differs from macrocarpa in having a P. flattened stipe (versus terete); narrowly lanceolate leaves (versus narrowly el- liptic); slightly sinuate leaf margins (versus entire but slightly revolute); small- mm and er leaf soral scales (ca. 1 smaller in diameter on average); and two- celled spores (versus These single-celled). differences are best expressed in material two com differ in that P. macrocarpa known is to contain only tetraploid, pentaploid, and hexaploid cytotypes (Manton, 1959; Jarrett et 1968; Walker, 1966, 1973; Wagner and al., Wagner, 1975; Hooper, 1994). Furthermore, isozyme comparisons of the two (Hooper, 1994) revealed that relative to most species pairs in the macrocarpa P. group, complanata P. has a relatively low genetic identity with macrocarpa P. = (Nei's 0.653). 1 The two species occasionally grow together in southern Central America and careful observation required them is to distinguish in the For example, field. the flattened stipe of complanata not obvious on on P. is as live plants as is it dried specimens. Nevertheless, combination and the of morphological genetic divergence between two the support their recognition as separate species. Pleopeltis polylepis (Roem. ex Kunze) Moore, Index 1862.— T. 348. -Poly- Fil. podium Roem. polylepis ex Kunze, Linnaea 1839.— 13:131. Syntypes: Mexico, Mineral del Monte, Ehrenberg without Hegewisch s.n.; locality, (Herb. Roemer); Karwinsky s.n. (probably s.n. all LZ, destroyed; teste Mickel and Beitel, 1988). Polypodium peltatum PL Cav., Descr. 244 (No. 1802.—Lectotype: 597). "Marianas Nee Islands", two s.n.; there are sheets in the type collection, NEW HOOPER: COMBINATIONS PLEOPELTIS IN 77 and for reasons discussed below, the specimen above lower the right-hand 476120 label of sheet no. in the Herb. Cavanilles lA) has been chosen (Fig. [MA, as lectotype photo be deposited (to at UC)!]. Mem. Drynaria Fam. vestita Fee, Foug. 5 (Gen. Fil.):271, 1852.—Type: Mexico, Galeotti not found by Mickel and s.n. (P; Beitel, 1988). was This species described by Cavanilles Polypodium first as peltatuin in name However, was 1802. his not universally adopted by later pteridologists, whom many of accepted the later name, Polypodium polylepis Roem. ex Kunze (exceptions include Christensen, 1938; Weatherby, 1944; Knobloch and Cor- and Although rell, 1962; Stolze, 1981). the epithet peltatum available and is has within genus Polypodium, priority the transfer to Pleopeltis preclud- its is P ed by the existence of an Old World taxon, peltata ex Alderw. Scort. (1909, Dep. synonym Bull. Agric, Indes Neerl.27:4), a of Microsorium sarawakense (Baker) Ching (Holttum, 1968). At glance, van Alderwerelt van Rosen- first name nomen me nudum, burgh's appears to be a but as pointed out to by David names Lellinger comm.), the published paper were (pers. in this vali- dated by indirect reference on p. 1 to the author's earlier book on Malayan ferns (Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh, 1908). Given that the epithet peltata unavailable in the genus Pleopeltis, have is I P name adopted predominantly Mexican The the polylepis for this taxon. typ- basionym Polypodium Roemer Kunze ification of the polylepis ex compli- is however, by none cated, the fact that apparently of the three syntypes (see may above) cited in the original description has survived. Neotypification prove and necessary, but only after further study searches for extant, original material have been completed. This will be addressed in a future paper. A name second issue concerns the lectotypification of the Polypodium pel- tatum According Cav. to the original description, the type material (two sheets was in the Cavanilles collection in Madrid; Fig. collected in the Marianas 1) who Islands (now Guam) by Luis Nee. Nee was one of two botanists accom- panied the 1789-1794 Malaspina expedition Peru and Ecuador, Mexico, to and Marianas comm.). The California, finally to the Pajaron, pers, plants (S. were sent periodically the port of Cadiz in southern Spain before eventual to transport Madrid. to The type material of Polypodium peltatum problematic for two reasons. is member First, no of the Pleopeltis macrocarpa group currently occurs in Guam, the type indicated by Cavanilles. Second, photographs of the locality type material and detailed measurements of the specimens (provided by San- ma- tiago Pajaron, Universidad Complutense, Madrid), revealed that the type terial contains at least two species. Each sheet contains several plants and, with any unfortunately, few of the labels can be reliably associated particular Guam The on 476120 lA) plant. localities indicated the labels of sheet (Fig. are (ex insulis marianas) and Ecuador (monte San Antonio, Quito), whereas the localities on sheet 476121 IB) are both in Ecuador (San Antonio and (Fig. Guaranda). specimens on both sheets revealed that most Inspection of the plants are indeed the Mexican Pleopeltis polylepis, whereas a few are appar- P P members macro- ently macrocarpa. The one of only two of the latter is . AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL: VOLUME NUMBER 78 85 3 (1995) O d b 'TTTTTrff f "T ^T* f *l? 1*vi-rWvp^v^'Vt^^VV+J^ T**'f w b ^ i ^ I \m If rfi M E» v» r» o% *c cc EC IS oe i^ ttd Gft »s la fitit S o u j:3 00 s ^ CD a a> > o a B ^^(5^ us fWfWfPWf»W ^^W^T^T^-Wf ^¥¥^*Tf i*»*-f -£3 tn M « in « >oi II O K w M M H 1* at HC ftC £« »€ iEC t« <|i iii «V tl ft! Ct % ^ f CM CO < I § O rH _ CD 4,. t > 3 5 f <D CA i I CO — — IN 79 common hand the other knowledge Mexico. Thus, most of the tvpe material Malaspina was Mex expedition in most ico. reasonable assume It IS to that the specimens came mixed between the time of collection and the time c Nevertheless, Nee's material must be taken as type; there specimens from 476120 sheet (the one above the lower ri lA) has been chosen as lectotype. circumscribed (Hooper, 1994), polvlepis consists of P. varieties nomenclature Pleopeltis polylepis var. erythrolepis (Weath.) Wendt, Amer. Fern. 70:9. J. 1980. Polypodium erythrolepis Weath., Contr. Gray Herb. 65:11. 1922. Phlebodium erythrolepis (Weath.) Conz., Fl. Tax. Mex. 1:95. 1946. Pleo- peltis erythrolepis (Weath.) Serm., Webbia 1968.— Mex- Pic. 23:189. Type: Chihuahua, ico, Portrero [Potrero] Peak, Cold Cliffs, Pringle 825 (holotype, GH!; isotypes, GH!, LL, NY!, UC!, US!). Pleopeltis polylepis var. interjecta (Weath.) E.A. Hooper, comb. nov. Poly- podium peltatum Cav. interjectum Weath., Amer. Fern var. 34:17. 1944. J. macrocarpa Pleopeltis (Bory ex Willd.) Kaulf. var. interjecta (Weath.) A.R. Smith, Amer. Fern 70:26. 1980; interjecta (Weath.) Mickel & P. Beitel, J. New Mem. York Hot. Card. 46:287-288. 1988.—Type: Guatemala, Chimal- Tecpam tenango, Cerro de near Santa Elena, 2700 m, Standley 60957 (F!). This variety occurs in northern Central America (mainly Guatemala) and southern Mexico Oaxaca and was (mainly Chiapas). originally described as It a variety of Polypodium peltatum by Weatherby then (1944), transferred to Pleopeltis as a variety of macrocarpa (Smith, 1980), and finally elevated to P. species rank by Mickel and Most authors commented on Beitel (1988]. re- its semblance on one hand and macrocarpa on to polylepis the to the other, P. P. but each emphasized different characteristics used to separate these taxa. For new example, Weatherby in the original description, (1944) differentiated his R variety from macrocarpa because has laminar entire erose-serrulate) (vs. it scales and rhizome scales occluded cell luminae. In contrast, Smith vi^ith (1980) classified interjecta as a variety of macrocarpa, because he considered -R the and number between two and similarity in scale size the (small sparse more relative to polylepis] to be consistent than the differences in scale P. margin used by Weatherby. Finally, Mickel and Beitel (1988) apparently con- P sidered the taxon distinct enough from both polylepis and macrocarpa to P. P be was recognized and with as a separate species, stated that affinity its macrocarpa. Despite a recent morphometric survey of the macrocarpa group P. which (Hooper, 1994), morphological data alone failed to resolve of these three VOLUME NUMBER AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL: 80 85 3 [1995) taxonomic treatments correct, because there are morphological features that is support each one. A E survey of isozyme variability within the macrocarpa group [Hooper, 1994} revealed very high levels of similarity between population sam- allelic and The ples oi interjecta polylepis. average genetic identity value (Nei's P. I) R R among and interjecta, polylepis var. polylepis, polylepis var. erythrolepis was more a value typical of conspecific plant populations than of con- 0.97, and generic species (Soltis Soltis, 1990). Conversely, the genetic identities be- R tween interjecta and other members of the group, including macrocarpa, were nearly 0.81. Electrophoretic analysis of isozymes using starch gel elec- all trophoresis therefore provided strong evidence that interjecta should be treated as a variety of polylepis, rather than as a separate species or as a variety of P. R macrocarpa. R Biogeographical data lend further support to this alignment. Within the macrocarpa group, all but one species are restricted to one of two centers of species diversity for the group, one based in southern Mexico and northern America and macro- Central the other in southern Central America. Pleopeltis carpa occurs in the southern region (and also extends to the Greater Antilles, R South America, and Old and parts of the World); whereas, poly- interjecta lepis both occur in the northern region. Moreover, within the northern region, R America and the ranges of interjecta (northern Central southern Mexico), R and and polylepis var. polylepis (central northeastern Mexico), polylepis var. somewhat erythrolepis (northwestern Mexico) There however, are distinct. are, which regions of overlap within can be assign an individual to difficult to it one or another variety with certainty see Wendt, 1980). Such a geograph- (e.g., more ical pattern is typical of plant varieties (or subspecies) than plant species. Given the inconsistency of the morphological features and the correspon- R dence and of genetic geographical data, polylepis here described as a is species with three varieties distributed throughout Mexico and northern Cen- The R America. most tral distinctive of the three polylepis var. interjecta, is which differentiated from the others by narrowly leaves nar- is elliptic (vs. its mm rowly on oblanceolate); smaller abaxial laminar scales in diameter (0.5 mm); average vs. 0.6 non-overlapping abaxial laminar scales overlapping); (vs. conspicuously blackened abaxial costae green erythrolepis] or occa- [vs. (var. sionally blackened and conspicuously black-centered soral (var. polylepis]]; scales with occluded cell luminae brown- or black-centered with clear cell (vs. luminae). The two more from other varieties of polylepis are difficult to differentiate P. A one morphometric members each another. analysis of representative of (Hooper, 1994) revealed that, on average, var. erythrolepis has longer stipes (about equal to the blade length vs. <V4 the blade length in var. polylepis]; wider leaves (about one-fifth the blade length one-tenth polylepis]; vs. in var. larger spores (55 jxm on average vs. 51 pim in var. polylepis]; and an abaxial costa that is green (vs. occasionally blackened in var. polylepis]. Also, as point- Wendt ed by out (1980), the abaxial laminar scales of mature var. erythrolepis NEW HOOPER: COMBINATIONS IN PLEOPELTIS 81 more densely more imbricate, and ovate-lanceolate a< and with margins more that are dissected than in var Acknowledgments am I grateful to Christopher Haufler for his guidance and support and for helpful comments on the manuscript; to Alan Smith, George Yatskievych, and David Lellinger advice on for typification and nomenclatural matters concerning who Pleopeltis polylepis; to Santiago Pajardn (Madrid) en- me thusiastically provided with detailed information on the type material of Pleopeltis polylepis; and to the curators of the following herbaria for loan of specimens for this project: G, MO, NY, F, UC, US. This project was supported by NSF Improvement in part Dissertation Grant #BSR-9122855 and The University of Kansas General Research Fund allocation #3114. Literature Cited Anderwerelt van Rosenburgh, C. R. W. K. van. 1908. Malayan ferns. 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Ph.D. dissertation, University of Kansas, Lawrence. Manton, Jarrett, F, M., L and S. K. Roy. 1968. Cytological and taxonomic notes on a small Kew collection of living ferns from Galapagos. Bull. 22:475-480. Knobloch, and W., and D. S. Correll. 1962. Ferns fern allies of Chihuahua, Mexico. Texas I. Research Foundation, Renner. Manton, on West 75-81 1959. Cytological information the ferns of Tropical Africa. Pp. in A. I. Crown H. G. Alston, The flora of West Tropical Africa, edition 2. Agents, London. MiCKEL, and M. Beitel. 1987. Notes on xPleopodium and Pleopeltis in tropical America. T., }. J. Amer. Fern 77:16-27. J. New Mem. 1988. Pteridophyte of Oaxaca, Mexico. York Bot. Card. 46:1-568. flora New Smith, A. R. 1980. taxa and combinations of pteridophytes from Chiapas, Mexico. Amer. Fern 70:15-27. J. SoLTis, and D. Soltis. 1990. Genetic variation within and among populations of ferns. P. S., E. Amer. Fern 80:161-172. J. Stolze, R. G. 1981. Ferns and fern allies of Guatemala. 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