Pteridophyta: Polypodiales

Polypodiaceae - Polypody family

Grammitidaceae

Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011) Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature

Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria.

Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13

Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca

Description of the family

Very small to medium-sized ferns; epiphytic, lithophytic or rarely terrestrial. Rhizome short- or long-creeping or climbing, laterally branched; roots formed ventrally, dorsally with 2 rows of frond scars. Fronds mono-, hemi- or dimorphic, articulated or not; stipe short or long; lamina simple to 2-pinnatifid, entire or shallowly crenate; veins free or anastomosing. Indumentum composed of scales on the rhizome, axes and lamina and hairs on the lamina surfaces. Sori circular (in ours), superficial or slightly sunken, scattered or in a single row on either side of the primary or secondary vein, with or without paraphyses; exindusiate.

Worldwide: 56 genera and c. 1200 species worldwide. Near cosmopolitan distribution with the greatest diversity in tropical areas, especially in Asia.

Zimbabwe: 3 cultivated genera and 3 cultivated taxa.

No image of a cultivated species but there is an image of a native or naturalised species

Links to cultivated genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Cyrtomium C. Presl
Microsorum LinkDescription
Platycerium Desv.Description, Image

Other sources of information about Polypodiaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Polypodiaceae
Flora of Malawi: Polypodiaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Polypodiaceae
Flora of Zambia: Polypodiaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Polypodiaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Polypodiaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Polypodiaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Polypodiaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Polypodiaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Polypodiaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Polypodiaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Polypodiaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Polypodiaceae
Wikipedia: Polypodiaceae
Plants of the World Online: Polypodiaceae
Tropicos: Polypodiaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: Family page: Polypodiaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/family.php?family_id=182, retrieved 28 March 2024

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