A new species of Elaphoglossum sect. Lepidoglossa subsect. Muscosa (Dryopteridacae) with cristate spores

Abstract

A new species from the Bolivian highlands is described as Elaphoglossum cristatum. It is very similar to E. engelii but is characterized by a (for subsect. Muscosa unique) cristate perispore structure with irregular deposits (versus papillate spores), more densely ciliate petiole scales (50-80 versus 10-30 cilia per scale), somewhat thicker blade texture, denser scale cover, and paler, more reddish rhizome scales.