Anemiaceae

Anemia Sw.

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

 

Description of the genus

Plants terrestrial or lithophytic. Rhizome short, creeping to erect, with hairs. Fronds tufted, herbaceous, hemidimorphic, pinnate to 2-pinnate, with the basal pair of pinnae usually fertile. venation free. Fertile pinnae markedly different to the sterile pinnae, long-petiolate, dissected, with much-contracted segments bearing sporangia in 2 rows on each segment.

 

Derivation of name:  Aneimon means naked, this refers to the uncovered sporangia.

Worldwide: c.100 species in tropical and warm areas, especially America; few species in Africa, Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent.

 

 

We have 6 taxa in the database for Anemia.

  • Anemia angolensis Alston
  • Anemia dregeana Kunze
  • Anemia nigerica Alston
  • Anemia schimperiana C. Presl.
  • Anemia sessilis (Jeanp.) C. Chr.
  • Anemia simii Tardieu
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    Literature

  • 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: 1-222.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0: 1-254.
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