Three new Selaginella species from Cuba, S. myriostachya, S. nanophylla and S. phiara, are described, illustrated with Scanning Electron Micrographs, and compared to similar species. Selaginella myriostachya and S. phiara are from Pinar del Río province, the latter one is also found in Isla de la Juventud special municipality, both in the western part of Cuba. In contrast, S. nanophylla is from Guantánamo, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba provinces in the eastern part of the island. Information about their habitat, distribution, and conservation status is provided. Selaginella myriostachya lives in cave openings on limestone rocks in Mogotes formations; S. nanophylla is one of the smallest plants reported for the genus and seems adapted to serpentine soils. Selaginella phiara has idioblasts with several bright, papillae on the upper surface of median leaves and lower surface of lateral leaves, and short hairs on the upper surface of the apices of median leaves.
We describe four new species in the genus Selaginella (i.e., S. agioneuma, S. magnafornensis, S. ventricosa, and S. zartmanii) from Brazil, all presently classified in subg. Stachygynandrum. For each of the new taxa we discuss taxonomic affinities and provide information on habitat, distribution, and conservation status. In addition, line drawings and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of stems sections, leaves, and spores (when present) are included. Selaginella agioneuma and S. magnafornensis are from the State of Espíritu Santo where they inhabit premontane to montane Atlantic rain forests in the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi and Parque Estadual Forno Grande, respectively. Selaginella ventricosa was collected in upper montane forests at Parque Nacional Serra da Mocidade, State of Roraima and S. zartmanii in premontane Amazon rain forests on upper Rio Negro at Mpio. São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas State in both Serra Curicuriari and the Morro dos Seis Lagos Biological Reserve.
The Selaginella flabellata species group occurs throughout the Neotropics and is particularly species-rich in South America, especially in the northwestern part of the continent (i.e. Colombia, Ecuador and Peru). In that region, S. praestans and S. quadrifaria are not well understood taxonomically due to similar habit and median leaves, as well as overlapping distribution ranges. As a result, they are frequently confused. Furthermore, S. quadrifaria, as currently conceived, is an extremely variable species. Nonetheless, our extensive study of 148 duplicates corresponding to 73 gatherings of S. praestans and S. quadrifaria, as currently conceived, allowed us to clearly separate them. In addition, based on our analyses, we segregated S. quadrifaria into two morphologically distinct taxa, including S. ophioderma, which is described here as a new species. Selaginella ophioderma is characterized by its leaves spreading along main stems and broadly ovate-oblong to rotund or orbicular median leaves with broadly acute or obtuse to rounded apices. Moreover, its median leaf lower surfaces are covered by stomata at both sides of the midribs of the leaf laminae. Thus, we conclude that although S. ophioderma, S. praestans and S. quadrifaria have overlapping distribution ranges in the eastern slopes of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, they represent morphologically distinct taxa.
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