| Description: |
Key to the Bolivian species of Meniscium 1 Pinnae (both fertile and sterile) serrate, at least toward the pinna apices . 2 - Pinnae (both fertile and sterile) entire to subentire, undulate, or crenulate . 3 2 Pinnae elliptic, sessile; distal pinnae not or only slightly reduced, apical pinna nearly as large as the lateral pinnae; costae and veins abaxially glabrous or with sparse hairs to 0.2 mm, laminar surface between veins glabrous . M. consobrinum - Pinnae lanceolate, generally pedicellate; distal pinnae gradually reduced, apical pinna much smaller than lower, lateral pinnae; costae and veins abaxially with moderate to dense hairs to 0.35 mm, laminar surface between veins also somewhat hairy . . M. serratum 3 Receptacles or sporangial stalks with tubular yellow or orange glands . 4 - Receptacles or sporangial stalks lacking tubular glands . 5 4 Fronds monomorphic; pinnae 4.5–7.5 cm wide; lateral veins of fertile pinnae 8–11 pairs per 3 cm; areoles 13–20-seriate . . M. andreanum - Fronds subdimorphic; pinnae 2.5–4.5 cm wide; lateral veins of fertile pinnae 13–18 pairs per 3 cm; areoles 7–10-seriate . . M. arcanum 5 Fronds subdimorphic to dimorphic; blades abaxially glabrous on laminar tissue and veins . M. nesioticum - Fronds monomorphic; blades abaxially glabrous to hairy on laminar tissue and veins . 6 6 Sporangial stalks each often bearing an acicular hair, or receptacles bearing numerous hairs, or sterile sporangia (sporangiasters) with such hairs . 7 - Sporangial stalks and receptacles generally lacking hairs . 10 7 Hairs of costae and blades appressed abaxially; buds often in the axils of proximal pinnae . M. membranaceum - Hairs of costae and blades spreading abaxially; buds lacking . 8 8 Proximal pinnae of fertile fronds oblong to elliptic, or elliptic-lanceolate; sterile pinnae 6–12 lateral pairs per frond, 3.5–8 cm wide . M. chrysodioides - Proximal pinnae of fertile fronds linear to lanceolate; sterile pinnae usually>12 pairs per frond, mostly 2.5–4 cm wide . 9 9 Abaxial surface of blades ... |