Pteris

• Authority

  Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

• Family

  Pteridaceae

• Scientific Name

  Pteris

• Description

  Genus Description - Terrestrial, less commonly epipetric; rhizome short-creeping to erect, compact, with scales at apex; fronds medium-sized to very large, clumped, monomorphic; stipe usually smooth, short to long; blade pinnate to several times pinnate, often with basal pinnae exaggerated basiscopically, often pentagonal to pedate; lamina chartaceous to coriaceous, minor axes mostly glabrous, generally with slender, antrorse awns on the upper surface at points of segment (or major vein) departure along the rachis (rachis awns) and pinna rachises (pinna awns); veins free or netted, without included veinlets; sori marginal, protected by differentiated recurved margin (false indusium), mostly continuous except at sinuses and segment apices; paraphyses usually present; spores tetrahedral-globose, generally with an equatorial ridge, perispore lacking.

• Discussion

  Lectotype (first chosen by J. Smith?, Hist. fil. 295. 1875): Pteris longifolia Linnaeus. Litobrochia Presl, Tent, pterid. 148. 1836. Type: Litobrochia ampla (Kunze) Presl [=Pteris ampla Kunze, =Pteris grandifolia Linnaeus]. Pteris is a pantropical genus of nearly 300 species, of which only about 60 are American. It is distinguished by its generally large fronds, marginal sori, blade awns and spores with an equatorial flange. References: Scamman, E. 1961. The genus Pteris of Costa Rica. Rhodora 63: 194-205; Tryon, R. M. 1964. Pteris. In The ferns of Peru. Contr. Gray Herb. 194: 188-210.