Leptolepia Mett. ex Prantl

Based on: P.J. Brownsey & L.R. Perrie (2022)

Leptolepia novae-zelandiae. Mature frond showing chestnut-brown rachis becoming yellow-brown distally, and reduced basal basiscopic secondary pinnae inserted at an acute angle. Image: L.R. Perrie © Leon Perrie 2013 CC BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Classification

Class

Polypodiopsida

Subclass

Polypodiidae

Order

Polypodiales Link

Family

Dennstaedtiaceae Lotsy

Subordinate Taxa

Leptolepia novae-zelandiae

Nomenclature

Scientific Name:

Leptolepia Mett. ex Prantl, Arbeiten Königl. Bot. Gart. Breslau 1: 23 (1892)

Type Taxon:

Leptolepia novae-zelandiae (Colenso) Mett. ex Diels

Etymology:

From the Greek lepto- (slender, small) and lepis (a scale), a reference to the nature of the indusia.

Description

Terrestrial ferns. Rhizomes long-creeping, bearing chestnut-brown multicellular hairs. Fronds monomorphic. Stipes hairy. Laminae 3–4-pinnate-pinnatifid, herbaceous, bearing non-glandular hairs; primary pinnae stalked, lacking basal pinnule-like stipules. Veins free. Sori round or oblong, superficial, submarginal; paraphyses absent. Indusia ovate or triangular, attached at base but not the sides, opening towards the margin. Spores trilete, coarsely verrucate.

Taxonomy

Leptolepia is a monotypic genus endemic to New Zealand, distinguished by its ovate or triangular, toothed indusium attached only at the base and opening towards the margin. Leptolepia novae-zelandiae nests with Oenotrichia maxima in one of the clades of Dennstaedtia (Perrie et al. 2015). However, it is currently far from clear what the generic limits should be in this part of the Dennstaedtiaceae, and Leptolepia is retained here as a monotypic genus until the group is investigated further.

Distribution

A monotypic genus endemic to New Zealand.

Biostatus

Indigenous (Endemic)

Number of species in New Zealand within *Leptolepia* Mett. ex Prantl
Category	Number
Indigenous (Endemic)	1
Total	1

Cytology

The base chromosome number in Leptolepia is x = 47 (Kramer 1990).

Notes

Authorship of the name Leptolepia was previously attributed to Mett. ex Kuhn (e.g. Allan 1961), but Pichi Sermolli (1978) noted that that name was a nomen nudum not validly published by Kuhn (1882).

Bibliography

Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington.

Brownsey, P.J.; Perrie, L.R. 2018: Dennstaedtiaceae. In: Breitwieser, I.; Wilton, A.D. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand — Ferns and Lycophytes. Fascicle 19. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.

Brownsey, P.J.; Perrie, L.R. 2022: Dennstaedtiaceae. Edition 2. In: Glenny, D. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand - Ferns and Lycophytes. Fascicle 19. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.

Kramer, K.U. 1990: Dennstaedtiaceae. In: Kramer, K.U.; Green, P.S. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Vol. 1. In: Kubitzki, K. (ed.) The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

Kramer, K.U.; Green, P.S. 1990: Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Kubitzki, K. (ed.) The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 1. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

Kuhn, F.A.M. 1882: Die Gruppe der Chaetopterides unter den Polypodiaceen. In: Festschrift zu dem Fünfzigjährigen Jubiläum der Königstädtischen Realschule zu Berlin. Winckelmann, Berlin. 322–348.

Perrie, L.R.; Shepherd, L.D.; Brownsey, P.J. 2015: An expanded phylogeny of the Dennstaedtiaceae ferns: Oenotrichia falls within a non-monophyletic Dennstaedtia, and Saccoloma is polyphyletic. Australian Systematic Botany 28: 256–264.

Pichi Sermolli, R.E.G. 1978: Pteridophytorum nomina generica invalida. Webbia 32: 341–353.

Prantl, K.A.E. 1892: Das System der Farne. Arbeiten aus dem Königl. Botanischen Garten zu Breslau 1: 1–38.