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Abstract PremisePteridophytes—vascular land plants that disperse by spores—are a powerful system for studying plant evolution, particularly with respect to the impact of abiotic factors on evolutionary trajectories through deep time. However, our ability to use pteridophytes to investigate such questions—or to capitalize on the ecological and conservation‐related applications of the group—has been impaired by the relative isolation of the neo‐ and paleobotanical research communities and by the absence of large‐scale biodiversity data sources. MethodsHere we present the Pteridophyte Collections Consortium (PCC), an interdisciplinary community uniting neo‐ and paleobotanists, and the associated PteridoPortal, a publicly accessible online portal that serves over three million pteridophyte records, including herbarium specimens, paleontological museum specimens, and iNaturalist observations. We demonstrate the utility of the PteridoPortal through discussion of three example PteridoPortal‐enabled research projects. ResultsThe data within the PteridoPortal are global in scope and are queryable in a flexible manner. The PteridoPortal contains a taxonomic thesaurus (a digital version of a Linnaean classification) that includes both extant and extinct pteridophytes in a common phylogenetic framework. The PteridoPortal allows applications such as greatly accelerated classic floristics, entirely new “next‐generation” floristic approaches, and the study of environmentally mediated evolution of functional morphology across deep time. DiscussionThe PCC and PteridoPortal provide a comprehensive resource enabling novel research into plant evolution, ecology, and conservation across deep time, facilitating rapid floristic analyses and other biodiversity‐related investigations, and providing new opportunities for education and community engagement.more » « lessFree, publicly-accessible full text available March 10, 2026
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Abstract Parablechnumis the most diverse genus in the fern family Blechnaceae, with about 70 species, mainly from Central and South America, the Austropacific, and a few in Africa. Species delimitation inParablechnumis challenging, and regional studies vary in species recognized. This genus is generally found in humid mid- to high-elevation forests, especially in the Andes. Ecuador is notable for its high species richness, particularly in the poorly explored Cordillera del Cóndor, a sub-Andean range with a distinctive geology contributing to high plant diversity and endemism. Since the early 2000s, botanical expeditions have revealed numerous endemic species, highlighting the region's significance. In 2006, an unusualParablechnumspecies was collected in the Cordillera del Cóndor. Here, we describe it as a new species,Parablechnum shuariorum. It grows on sandstone cliffs along small rivers and can be distinguished by its fertile fronds, which are shorter than its sterile ones, and its densely scaly rachis. This species, endemic to the Cordillera del Cóndor, is found at elevations of 900–1,600 m. It is named after the Shuar people, whose lands include the collection sites. Preliminary conservation assessment suggests thatP. shuariorumis endangered due to a limited area of occupancy and threats from human activities, such as mining.more » « lessFree, publicly-accessible full text available March 1, 2026
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Resumen Se presenta una actualización a la flora de Antioquia, Colombia paraSelaginella.Se reconocen 46 especies, 12 de las cuales son nuevos registros para el departamento, incluyendo dos especies recientemente descritas (S. gioiaeyS. rachipterygia), una especie no descrita y un nuevo registro para el país (S. meridensis). Cinco especies previamente reportadas para Antioquia se excluyen. Se presenta una clave dicotómica y notas sobre la distribución para las 46 especies reconocidas.more » « less
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This paper provides a monograph of the petiolatum clade of Elaphoglossum Schott ex J. Sm. sect. Lepidoglossa Christ (Dryopteridaceae). This group has been recovered as monophyletic in several molecular phylogenetic analyses. Morphologically, the petiolatum clade is recognized by laminae with resinous dots and flat and/or stellate scales, rhizome scales with acute to filiform-tortuous apices, scales on the proximal portion of the petiole with dark apices, and perines broadly folded, sparsely echinulate with spines less than 1 μm high, or (in E. petiolatum (Sw.) Urb.) with sparse irregular microstructures. Eight species are recognized as a part of the clade, all of them distributed in the American tropics from Mexico to Panama, and one species in the Greater Antilles. Most of the species occur between 1000 and 2500 m elevation in tropical, temperate, and pine-oak forests. Presented here are an identification key, a full synonymy, detailed descriptions, a list of specimens examined, an index to collectors’ names and collection numbers, images of the plants and their main structures, spore microphotographs, and distribution maps for all species. A new combination is made for E. schmitzii (Mett. ex Kuhn) Martínez-Bec. & A. Vasco, and lectotypes are designated for Acrostichum intermedium Fée, E. muelleri (E. Fourn.) C. Chr., E. potosianum Christ, E. pringlei (Davenp.) C. Chr., and E. schmitzii.more » « less
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A New Name for Plants Previously Called Parablechnum christii (Blechnaceae) in Costa Rica and PanamaThe name Parablechnum christii (C. Chr.) Gasper & Salino has been applied to a small species with few pairs of short pinnae that is endemic to Costa Rica and Panama. After reviewing type material of this name, we conclude that it has been misapplied and is, in fact, a synonym of P. falciforme (Liebm.) Gasper & Salino, an older name. Because the specimens previously identified as P. christii lack a name, we propose P. talamancanum S. Molino & R. C. Moran for these plants. The species is endemic to the mountains of Costa Rica and Panama, from 1200 to 3350 m.more » « less
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Abstract—Goniopteris×tico, a new hybrid fern from La Selva Biological Station in Heredia Province, Costa Rica, is described based on morphology and analysis of target-capture DNA sequence data. The hybrid co-occurs with its two putative progenitors,Goniopteris mollisandGoniopteris nicaraguensis,and is readily recognizable by its intermediate leaf dissection and venation. It is also intermediate in pinnae size and shape, and presents irregularly lobed pinnae. Despite the broad overlap in the geographic distribution of its parental taxa,Goniopteris×ticois only known from two collections from a single area of the La Selva Biological Station, highlighting the importance of close observation of ferns from even well-collected areas.more » « less
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