Pteris

Pteris is a large genus of ca. 300 species, distributed in warm-temperate and tropical zones of the world. According to Walker (1970) 10 species are cultivated for ornament whereas Page & Bennell (1986) cite 14 species that are cultivated in Europe. The two species treated below are by far the commonest ornamentals in Belgium.

The monophyly of the genus is uncertain (Chao & al. 2014). One of the species here concerned, P. vittata L., is only remotely related to the other species in this account.

In addition to those treated here in detail, a third species should be looked for, Pteris tremula R. Brown. It is one of the commonest Pteris-species in cultivation (Walker 1970) and has been reported as a regular escape in London (Edgington 2006). It is easily distinguished from both Pteris cretica and P. multifida by pinnately compound fronds, reminiscent of native Pteridium aquilinum. From the latter it is separated by glabrous fronds, lacking jointed hairs.

1       Mature fronds with more than 10 pair of simple pinnae (not divided) === Pteris vittata

         Mature fronds with up to 5 pair of pinnae. At least the lower pinnae divided === 2

2       Pinnae not decurrent to the rachis (except sometimes terminal pinnae). Pinnae often with a broad white, central stripe === P. cretica

         Most pinnae, at least the upper two-three, decurrent, forming a relatively broad-winged rachis. Pinnae usually green throughout === P. multifida

Literature:


Chao Y.-S., Rouhan G., Amoroso V.B. & Chiou W.-L. (2014) Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the fern genus Pteris (Pteridaceae). Annals of Botany 114: 109-124. [available online at: https://academic.oup.com/aob/article/114/1/109/2768998/Molecular-phyloge...

Crouch H.J. & Rumsey F. (2009) Changes in the fern flora of the city of Bath. Somerset Archaeology and Natural History 153: 233-246. [available online at: http://www.sanhs.org/Documents/153/CrouchRumsey.pdf]

Edgington J.A. (2006) Wall-to-wall ferns. BSBI News 102: 20-21.

Grenfell A.L. (1983) Adventive ferns. I. BSBI News 35: 12.

Guillot Ortiz D., Mateo Sanz G. & Rosselló Picornell A. (2006) Claves para la pteridoflora ornamental de la Comunidad Valenciana. Bouteloua 1: 25-33.

Iwatsuki K. (1995a) Cyrtomium. In: Iwatsuki K. & al. (eds.), Flora of Japan, vol. 1. Kodansha, Tokyo: 121-124.

Martínez O.G. (2011) Morfología y Distribución del Complejo Pteris Cretica L. (Pteridaceae) para el Continente Americano. Candollea 66(1): 159-180. [available online at: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/271714074_Morfologa_y_Distribuci...(Pteridaceae)_para_el_Continente_Americano]

Nauman C.E. (1993) Pteris. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America, vol. 2. Oxford University Press, New York-Oxford: 132-135.

Page C.N. & Bennell F.M. (1986) Pteris. In: Walters S.M. & al. (eds.), The European Garden Flora, vol. 1: 23-24. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Rumsey F. & Crouch H.J. (2008) Brake out ! Pteris go wild in the british Isles. Pteridologist 5(1): 31-35. [available online at: http://www.ebps.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Pteridologist-V5-P1R.pdf]

Sant S. (2002) Nouveautés sur la chorologie du genre Pteris L. (Pteridaceae) dans le département des Alpes-Maritimes (France). Biocosme Mésogéen 18: 85-98.

Shieh W.-C. (1966) A synopsis of the fern genus Pteris in Japan, Ryukyu, and Taiwan. Bot. Mag. 79: 283-292.

Verloove F., van der Ham R. & Denters T. (2007) Exotische muurvarens in België en Nederland. Dumortiera 92: 1-16.

Walker T.G. (1970) Species of Pteris commonly in cultivation. Brit. Fern Gaz. 10: 143-151.

Taxonomic name: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith