Ceradenia spectabilis (Polypodiaceae), a New Species from Cerro del Torra, Colombia

Ceradenia spectabilis, a new species, is described from Cerro del Torra, an isolated peak in western Colombia well known for harboring rare and narrowly distributed species of plants. The new species is readily distinguished from its congeners by its broadly alate petiole and rachis, creeping rhizome with widely spaced leaves, and large oblanceolate leaves with elongate and ascending pinnae. Three other species, C. curvata, C. discolor, and C. pearcei, share characteristics in common with C. spectabilis including thick sub-spongiose laminae that are sparsely setose (or setae absent), provided throughout with whitish waxy glands, alate petioles and rachises, setose rhizome scales that are also provided with a few whitish waxy glands, and submarginal sori. However, Ceradenia spectabilis can be distinguished from each of them by its longer petioles (4-6 cm long vs. 2 cm or less), broader petiole wings (2.5-3.5 mm wide vs. 0.5 cm or less), and longer pinnae (up to 10 cm long vs. 4 cm long or less). Ceradenia spectabilis is known only from the type, despite extensive investigations in herbaria housing large collections of Colombian ferns. This new species brings the total number of Ceradenia species in Colombia to 25, and ca. 74 world-wide.