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Mycopteris, a new neotropical genus of grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae)

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Abstract

Mycopteris, a new genus of grammitid ferns, is described and combinations are made for the species that belong to it. Mycopteris is diagnosed by castaneous rhizome scales with turgid cells, usually pectinate laminae, blackish petioles and rachises, blackish pinna costae and veins, reddish setae, cretaceous hydathodes, glabrous sporangia, and the presence of Acrospermum ascomes. It is entirely neotropical, ranging from Mexico east into the West Indies and south to Bolivia. Mycopteris is one of two genera of grammitid ferns that are consistently associated with Acrospermum, an epibiotic ascomycete that produces black clavate fruiting bodies. Seventeen species of Mycopteris are recognized here, including one new species (M. longipilosa) and one elevated from the rank of variety to species (M. costaricensis). The following additional combinations are made here: M. alsopteris, M. amphidasyon, M. attenuatissima, M. cretata, M. grata, M. leucolepis, M. leucostica, M. longicaulis, M. pirrensis, M. praeceps, M. semihirsuta, M. steyermarkii, M. subtilis, M. taxifolia, and M. zeledoniana. Lectotypes are chosen for Ctenopteris leucosticta, Polypodium amphidasyon, and Polypodium pectinatum var. hispidum. For each accepted species, full synonymy and geographical range are provided. Taxonomic discussion is provided for species not widely recognized in previous treatments.

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Acknowledgments

I thank the curators of the following herbaria for making their material available for study: AAU, B, F, GH, CR, GOET, HUA, INB, K, LPB, MICH, MO, NY, OS, P, RB, QCA, QCNE, UC, UPCB, US, and USZ. Figure 2 is the work of H. Fukuda and used here with permission of Robbin Moran. My studies of grammitid ferns have greatly benefited from the assistance of Paulo Labiak, Robbin Moran, Barbara Parris, Tom Ranker, Germinal Rouhan, and Alan Smith. I thank David Barrington, Larry Kelly, Weston Testo, and two anonymous reviewers for providing helpful comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [DEB-1119695 to Cliff Morden and Tom Ranker]. Support for fieldwork was provided by The Graduate Center at the City University of New York, The Organization for Tropical Studies, the Torrey Botanical Society, the Alice and Rolla Tryon Pteridophyte Library at the University of Vermont’s Pringle Herbarium, and the National Science Foundation [DEB-1020623 to Paola Pedraza].

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  1. The Pringle Herbarium, Department of Plant Biology, University of Vermont, 27 Colchester Ave., Torrey Hall, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, U.S.A.

    Michael A. Sundue

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Correspondence to Michael A. Sundue.

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Sundue, M.A. Mycopteris, a new neotropical genus of grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae). Brittonia 66, 174–185 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-013-9322-0

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