Contains 1 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Thelypteris as traditionally defined as a large genus (Morton 1963) is monophyletic (Almeida et al. 2016). Recent taxonomists have split it into multiple genera (Salino et al. 2015; Almeida et al. 2016; PPG 2016). The relevant segregate genera for Florida include Amauropelta (T. resinifera, T. sancta), Amblovenatum (T. opulenta), Christella (T. augescens, T. dentata, T. grandis, T. hispidula, T. kunthii, T. ovata, T. patens), Cyclosorus (T. interrupta), Goniopteris (T. reptans, T. sclerophylla, T. tetragona), Meniscium (T. reticulata, T. serrata), and Thelytperis s.str. (T. palustris). Circumscription and relationships for Christella are still unclear (Almeida et al. 2016).
Classification
Citation
THELYPTERIS Schmidel, Icon. Pl., ed. Keller 3, 45, t. 11, 13. 1763, nom. cons. vs. Thelypteris Adanson 1763.
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TYPE: Thelypteris palustris Schott (Acrostichum thelypteris Linnaeus)
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens | Marsh Fern |
Identification Key
1. Pinnae unlobed; veins forming several areoles between the margin and main vein; sori elongate
1. Pinnae lobed to deeply pinnatifid; veins free or united at or below sinus
2
2. Plant with forked or stellate trichomes, especially on scales of stem apices, the rachis, and other parts of blade
2. Plant with simple trichomes only or glabrous
3
3. Blade lower surface with spherical, sessile or subsessile reddish brown or yellowish glands
4
3. Blade lower surface eglandular or the glands inconspicuous
5
4. Rhizome short-creeping; glands sulphur-yellow, subsessile (Amblovenatum)
4. Rhizome erect; glands orangish to reddish brown, sessile (Amauropelta)
5. Veins often forked; leaves winter-deciduous (Thelypteris s.str.)
5. Veins not forked; leaves usually not winter-deciduous
6
6. Veins free or united at the sinus (or just below the sinus), not forming a single vein to the sinus
6. Veins (at least some) uniting below the sinus and forming a single vein to the sinus
7
7. Rhizome black, long-creeping, leaves appearing distant; petiole base black; sori in a nearly continuous sinuous line appearing to connect from pinnule to pinnule (Cyclosorus)
7. Rhizome brown, short-creeping, leaves appearing clustered; petiole base brown; sori not in a nearly continuous line
1. (Amauropelta key) Leaves 20-70(80) cm long; pinnae pinnatifid; petiole 2-5 mm wide
1. Leaves 10-30(40) cm long; pinnae at least partly 1-pinnate; petiole 0.5-1.5 mm wide
1. (Christella key) Petiole usually brownish purple above base; leaves with usually more than 2 pairs of greatly reduced proximal pinnae; blade lower surface with trichomes <0.2 mm long, except a few along veins sometimes 0.3-0.5 mm long; excurrent veins mostly >2 mm long
1. Petiole usually pale yellowish above base; leaves with 0-2 pairs of slightly reduced proximal pinnae; blade lower surface mostly with trichomes 0.3-0.7 mm long; excurrent veins <2 mm long
1. (Goniopteris key) Leaf 15-25 cm wide, abruptly narrowed to the apex, the apical pinna subtended by a naked rachis and somewhat similar to the lateral pinnae
1. Leaf to 10 cm wide, gradually narrowed to the apex, the apical pinna pinnatifid and dissimilar to the lateral pinnae
2
2. Leaves monomorphic and erect, not rooting at the apex; lateral pinnae dentate
2. Leaves somewhat dimorphic, the sterile ones shorter and spreading or prostrate, the mature fronds erect, ascending, or spreading, sometimes rooting at the apex; lateral pinnae entire, crenulate, or lobed but not as above
3
3. Mature leaves erect, the blade simple-pinnatifid for 3/4 the length with 1-4 pairs of free basal pinnae
3. Mature leaves spreading to ascending, the blade pinnate with the terminal pinna simple-pinnatifid, but this <1/2 the length of the blade
1. (Meniscium key) Pinnae entire, undulate, to subtly crenulate, 2-6 cm wide
1. Pinnae serrate (at least toward apex), 2-3.5(4.5) cm wide
1. (Pelazoneuron key) Leaves to 3 m long; basal pinnae with its basal lobes reduced and shorter than the proceeding lobes
1. Leaves (0.1)0.3-1.4(1.6) m long; basal pinnae with its basal lobes subequal to longer than the proceeding lobes
2
2. Rhizome erect; scales at base of petioles ovate, glabrous; basal lobes of pinnae acuminate, often rather straight, longer than the proceeding and more ascending to curved lobes
2. Rhizome creeping; scales at base of petioles lanceolate, usually hairy; basal lobes of pinnae acute, slightly longer than to subequal and rather similar to the proceeding lobes
3
3. Blade upper surface copiously pubescent
3. Blade upper surface glabrous to sparingly pubescent
4
4. Blades coriaceous; scales of costa abaxially often numerous; terminal portion of blade with unlobed pinnae usually at least 5 times longer than wide, 10-20 cm long; basal pinnae 7-15 mm wide, sinuses 0.5-0.7 of the lobe length
4. Blades chartaceous to subcoriaceous; scales of costa abaxially sparse to absent; terminal portion of blade with unlobed pinnae usually <5 times as long as wide, 6-12 cm long; basal pinnae (8)12-22 mm wide, sinuses 0.6-0.9 of the lobe length
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| No synonyms found. | |||