ABSTRACT
Five new species are described in the genus Diplazium Sw. from Nicaragua, Costa Rica
and Colombia, as results of studies in the Neotropical ferns. The new species
are Diplazium chirripoense A. Rojas, Diplazium cornutum A. Rojas, Diplazium crassirhizoma A. Rojas, Diplazium lustrosum A. Rojas and Diplazium rodriguezii A. Rojas. The
first species is related to D. skutchii Lellinger, but differs from it
by having glabrous stipe, glabrous blade abaxially, hyaline and entire indusia,
and distributed and higher elevations. The second species is different to D. diplazioides (Klotzsch et H. Karst.)
Alston by having densely scaly stipe, rachis and costa, relative bigger pinnae
and entire to erose indusia. After that, the third species differs from D. werckleanum Christ by thicker
rhizome, bigger rhizome scales and blade with 1 - 2 buds at apex. Consecutively,
the fourth species differs from D.
lindbergii (Mett.) H. Christ by thinner
rhizome, shorter fronds, longer stipe, smaller blade, less pinnae pairs, shiny
laminar tissue and veins 3 - 5 pairs per segment. Finally, the fifth species is related to D. tungurahuae (Sodiro) C. Chr., but with abaxially glabrous rachis
and costae, pinnules 4 - 5 times longer than wide and entire, costules
adaxially without wings, veins abaxially glabrous and reticulate along costae
and between pinnate veins.