On the identification of Cyathea pallescens (Sodiro) Domin (Cyatheaceae): Typifications, reinstatements and new descriptions of common Neotropical tree ferns

Abstract

Based on studies of type material collected by Sodiro, several Andean tree fern species formerly united in Cyathea pallescens (Sodiro) Domin are here distinguished: C. pallescens s.s. is an exindusiate species synonymous with C. halonata R.C.Moran & B.Øllgaard and is restricted to the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental in southern Colombia and northern Ecuador. Reinstated species are C. brachypoda Sodiro, C. tungurahuae Sodiro and C. cystolepis Sodiro with var. cystolepis, var. boreopallescens Lehnert var. nov. and var. leonis Lehnert var. nov. from the northern Andes; Cyathea austropallescens Lehnert is newly described from the central Andes. New descriptions of all species and illustrations of important characters are given and several lectotypifications are made. Added in shorter descriptions for comparison are C. atahuallpa (R.M.Tryon) D.B.Lellinger, C. bettinae Lehnert, C. corallifera Sodiro, C. dintelmannii Lehnert, C. divergens (Baker) Domin, C. simplex R.M.Tryon, C. straminea H.Karst. and C. ruiziana Klotzsch (= C. boliviana R.M.Tryon). © 2008 The Linnean Society of London.