Adiantum

• Authority

  Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.

• Family

  Pteridaceae

• Scientific Name

  Adiantum

• Description

  Genus Description - Rhizomes creeping, scaly, the scales narrowly lanceate, usually concolorous, entire; stipes and rhachises adaxially sulcate or flattened, atropurpureous or blackish, glabrous, puberulous, or laxly pilose and scaly, the scales narrow, hair-like; laminae 1-3(-4)-pinnate, lanceate, deltoid or ovate; ultimate segments sessile to short-stalked, never adnate, rectangular or trapezoidal to nearly triangular, glabrous; veins free; sori confined to the indusia; indusia highly modified portions of the segment margin, reniform or lunulate to elongate.

• Discussion

  Lectotype. Adiantum capillus-veneris L., chosen by J. Smith (Hist. Fil. 274. 1875). Distribution. About 200 mostly warm temperate and tropical species, most of them in the New World tropics.