Selaginella pectopuellensis (Selaginellaceae, Lycopodiophyta): a new species from Serra do Peito-de-Moça, Bahia, Brazil, with comments on the taxonomy of the species reported in the country

Background and aims: Our research on neotropical Selaginella led us to examine a collection from the Atlantic Forest of Serra do Peito-de-Moça, Bahia, Brazil, initially determined as S. muscosa but with unusual features, indicating it represented an undescribed species. We also reexamined the taxonomic and nomenclatural status of three Selaginella taxa previously described from Brazil and gathered information on introduced and naturalized species in the country. M&M: Morphological analysis used stereomicroscopes and scanning electron microscopy to distinguish the suspected new species from its morphologically nearest ally. Results: We confirmed that the plant material from the Atlantic Forest of Serra do Peitode-Moça, Bahia, Brazil, is a new species that we named Selaginella pectopuellensis (Selaginellaceae). Additionally, we clarified the taxonomic and nomenclatural status of three Selaginella species previously described from Brazil and provided more information on naturalized taxa. Overall, we expanded the confirmed number of native Brazilian Selaginella species to 91 and confirmed six introduced and naturalized taxa in the country. Conclusions: The description of S. pectopuellensis adds to our knowledge of Brazil's pteridophyte flora. We synonymized S. kriegeriana under S. magnafornensis and clarified that S. bahiensis subsp. bahiensis and S. bahiensis subsp. manausensis should not be recognized as separate taxa. We also confirmed six naturalized Selaginella taxa in Brazil