Salpichlaena volubilis (Kaulf.) J.Sm., 1841

4. Salpichlaena volubilis (Kaulf.) J.Sm. View in CoL — Fig. 3d–g View Fig , 8–11; Map 1 View Map 1

Salpichlaena volubilis (Kaulf.) J.Sm. (1841) 168.

Blechnum volubile Kaulf. (1824) View in CoL 159. — Spicanta volubilis (Kaulf.) Kuntze (1891) View in CoL 821. — Type: Korte A & Kniess A 2825 (neotype FLOR FLOR0059465, designated here; isoneotype FURB FURB06861), Brazil, Santa Catarina, Ascurra, Guaricanas   GoogleMaps , S27°00'00" W49°24'36", 281 m, 15 Mar. 2010.

Blechnum scandens Bory (1828) View in CoL 272. — Salpichlaena scandens (Bory) C. Presl (1851) View in CoL 122. — Type: Brazil, Sta. Catherine, Durville s.n. 1827 (lectotype P00347471 designated here).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the twining petioles and rachises.

Climbing and non-climbing fronds with herbaceous to coriaceous lamina texture, pinnae and pinnule margins with or without cartilaginous margin; scales on abaxial axes either stick-like (formed by a long apical row of cells and usually two lateral smaller rows of cells) or lanceolate with small or large body of cells and always with long appendices; stomata located on small white laminal protuberances or not. Non-climbing entire fronds up to 53 by 6.8 cm. Non-climbing 1-pinnate fronds 45–135 cm. Pinnae up to 6 pairs; apical one lanceolate, elliptic, 16.3–45.5 by 2–9.5 cm; lateral ones lanceolate, elliptic, parallel-sided, oblanceolate, 18–32.2 by 1.7–7.7 cm; apex acuminate, attenuate, cuspidate, entire, entire with few small teeth on the cartilaginous margin, crenate; base obtuse, acute. Climbing fronds with pinnae slightly dimorphic, fertile pinnae generally narrower than sterile. Pinnules opposite to alternate; in 1–7 pairs, lanceolate, elliptic, oblanceolate, parallel-sided; petiolulate, sessile (winged); apex acuminate, attenuate, caudate (apiculate, cuneate, cuspidate, falcate), entire, almost entire with few small teeth (sometimes serration-like) on the cartilaginous margin, slightly crenate, slightly serrate, base obtuse, cuneate, acute, attenuate, equilateral to oblique.

Distribution — Salpichlaena volubilis is widely distributed, occurring from Central America to the Lesser Antilles and southern Brazil. Each of the four subspecies has a different distribution. Salpichlaena volubilis subsp. amazonica occurs in Western Amazonia, along the eastern slopes of the Andes and in French Guiana; S. volubilis subsp. crenata occurs in the Lesser Antilles and in the northern part of South America; S. volubilis subsp. thalassica occurs in Central America and along the western side of the Andes in northeastern South America and S. volubilis subsp. volubilis occurs in the Atlantic rain forest of southeastern Brazil.

Notes — Apices of frond, pinna and pinnule of S. volubilis are entire, crenate to only slightly serrate, which differentiates it from S. hookeriana and S. papyrus , whose apices are obviously serrate. Most subspecies of S. volubilis differ from S. hybrida by their more chartaceous-coriaceous lamina texture and the presence of a cartilaginous margin. Only S. volubilis subsp. volubilis has equally herbaceous texture and non-cartilaginous margin, but it differs from S. hybrida by having lanceolate rather than elliptic pinnules. Distinguishing characters to identify S. volubilis subspecies are in Table 4 View Table 4 .

We have been unable to locate any of the original material of Blechnum volubile collected by Von Chamisso. The type specimen was not found in LE where Von Chamisso’s collection is kept. Therefore, we designate here a neotype for Blechnum volubile . We have chosen a specimen collected close to Santa Catarina Island, because according to Von Chamisso’s diary (Von Chamisso 1821) this is the most probable place from where he could have collected the original material. Our results suggest that only one Salpichlaena taxon occurs in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and the name S. volubilis should be applied to this taxon.

Two different sources have received credit for the first publication of the name Salpichlaena volubilis , ‘The Journal of Botany vol. 4’, and ‘Genera Filicum’, both by Hooker. ‘The Journal of Botany’ has priority. It was published in 1841, whereas ‘Genera Filicum’ was probably published in 1842 ( Stafleu & Cowan 1979).