Description
Family Psilotaceae
Plants
perennial
, terrestrial
or epiphytic, with corallike, rhizoid-bearing, branched, subterranean
axes. Roots
absent. Aerial
shoots
simple
or dichotomously branched; appendages
leaflike or bractlike, alternate to subopposite, veinless or 1-veined, less than 1 cm. Synangia globose
, of 2--3 fused, homosporous eusporangia, solitary in axils of shoot appendages, dehiscing loculicidally. Spores many, reniform
, not green. Gametophytes subterranean, mycotrophic, fleshy
, elongate
, and branched.
Genera 2, species 4--8: worldwide in tropical regions
.John W. Thieret "Psilotaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
Genus Psilotum
Plants
terrestrial
, sometimes epiphytic. Aerial
shoots
often clumped, simple
proximally, dichotomously branched distally, 3(--several) -ridged. Appendages
minute, bractlike, borne distally on ridges
of aerial shoots, sterile
appendages subulate
, those subtending
synangia 2-lobed. Synangia ± globose
, obscurely 3-lobed.
Species 2 or 3: tropical
and warm temperate regions
."Psilotum". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Moniliformopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997, Nom. Nud.
- Class:
Psilotopsida
()
- D.h. Scott
- Order:
Psilotales
()
- Prantl
- Family:
Psilotaceae
()
-
- Whisk fern Family
- Genus:
Psilotum
()
- Whisk-fern [Greek psilos, naked, referring to the plant's leafless aerial shoots]
- Specific epithet:
complanatum
- Spring
- Variety:
latissimum
- Botanical name: - Psilotum complanatum var. latissimum Spring
- Variety:
latissimum
- Specific epithet:
complanatum
- Spring
- Genus:
Psilotum
(
- Family:
Psilotaceae
(
- Order:
Psilotales
(
- Class:
Psilotopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Moniliformopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Similar Species
Members of the genus Psilotum
There are approximately 20 species in this genus:
P. bernarolii · P. complanatum (Flatfork Fern) · P. complanatum var. flaccidum · P. complanatum var. fosbergii · P. complanatum var. latissimum · P. complanatum var. mexicanum · P. flabellatum · P. flaccidum · P. intermedium · P. nudum (Moa) · P. nudum var. fallicinum · P. nudum var. molesworthii · P. nudum var. normale · P. triquetrum · P. triquetrum var. fallacinum · P. triquetrum var. gracile · P. triquetrum var. latum · P. triquetum · P. truncatum · P. × intermedium
Bibliography
- Cooper-Driver,G. 1977. Chemical evidence for separating the Psilotaceae from the Filicales. Science 198: 1260--1262.
- White, R.A., D.W. Bierhorst, P.G. Gensel, D.R. Kaplan, and W.H. Wagner Jr. 1977. Taxonomic and morphological relationships of the Psilotaceae: A symposium. Brittonia 29: 1--68.
More Info
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Notes
Identifiers
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 16011547
- Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:212105-2
- International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 212105-2
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 3663350
