[Aroid-l] My message from Dr. Moran regarding Huperzia phlegmaria

From: Steve at ExoticRainforest.com (ExoticRainforest) on 2008.06.04 at 18:05:13(17735) This message just came back from Dr. Moran, Dear Steve, You are correct: the basionym is Lycopodium nummulariifolium Blume. I suggest using Huperzia because that is being done by most pteridologists these days. Huperzia differs from the other Lycopodium segregates most conspicuously by its equally forked branches. Best wishes, Robbin Robbin C. Moran The New York Botanical Garden 200th Street & Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A. So it would appear that to science, the correct basionym (base name) is Lycopodium nummulariifolium Blume. Steve +More When I went back to check the name Huperzia nummulariifolia as provided by Dr. Moran I ran into a series of blockades. I again checked both TROPICOS and the International Plant Names Index and could not completely verify that name. As a result, I've forwarded a second message which I've attached. Hopefully I will soon be able to resolve this and be able to accurately post a new page with the correct identification and scientific information. Since Dr. Moran is a recognized authority I certainly will follow his lead. But for the sake of accuracy I always at least attempt to track down the base name. This is my follow up message: Dr. Moran, I am unable to locate anything with this exact spelling on TROPICOS as Huperzia nummulariifolia (Blume) Chambers, Jeremy & Crabbe. I can only locate Lycopodium nummularifolium Blume as a basionym. However, on the IPNI I found this. It too appears to indicate the basionym is Lycopodium nummulariifolium Blume: Lycopodiaceae Huperzia nummulariifolia ( Blume ) Jermy in T.Chambers , Jermy & Crabbe Brit. Fern Gaz. 10: 176. 1971. 1971 basionym: Lycopodium nummulariifolium Blume basionym: Lycopodium nummulariifolium Blume Blume Is it possible the basionym is truly Lycopodium nummulariifolium Blume? I do everything possible to verify every name I publish and certainly would not wish to cause any embarrassment if I get this wrong. If there is more recent data can you point me to a source? Thanks again! Steve Lucas www.ExoticRainforest.com Dear Steve, I agree that the plant on your web site is correctly identified as Huperzia phlegmaria. The one in the attached images you sent is H. nummulariifolia (Blume) Chambers, Jermy & Crabbe. Its wide elliptic leaves, appressed to the stem, are unique within the genus, as far as I know. Both are Old World species, and my expertise is primarily on New World tropical ferns, so I don't have any interesting stories to tell you about them--sorry! I do, however, have two books that might help you in the future with information for your web site. One is about fern cultivation: Fern Grower's Manual (with first author Barabara Joe Hoshizaki) and the other is A Natural History of Ferns (Timber Press, 2004). The latter is a popular (i.e., non-technical) book about ferns and lycophytes. It is not an identification guide, but tells about what ferns are doing in nature. Many of the things you mention on your web page for H. phlegmaria are also discussed in that book. Good luck with your web site! Best wishes, Robbin Robbin C. Moran, Ph.D. Curator of Ferns The New York Botanical Garden 200th Street & Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A. phone: 718-817-8663 fax: 718-817-8648 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20080604/ccfa95fc/attachment.htm

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