Dryopteridaceae
Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth. Polystichum dracomontanum Schelpe Polystichum incongruum J.P. Roux Polystichum kilimanjaricum Pic. Serm. Polystichum luctuosum (Kunze) T. Moore Polystichum macleae (Baker) Diels Polystichum magnificum F. Ballard Polystichum monticola N.C.Anthony & Schelpe Polystichum pungens (Kaulf.) C.Presl Polystichum setiferum (Forssk.) T.Moore ex Woyn. Polystichum sinense (H.Christ) H.Christ Polystichum transkeiense W. Jacobsen Polystichum transvaalense N.C. Anthony Polystichum volkensii (Hieron.) C.Chr. Polystichum zambesiacum Schelpe 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.
Polystichum Roth
Description of the genus
Plants terrestrial or lithophytic. Rhizome short, erect or creeping; rhizome scales brown, entire, densely set. Stipe not articulated, scaly at base. Fronds tufted, herbaceous to coriaceous. Lamina narrowly elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, pinnate to 3-pinnate, but pinnae not basiscopically developed. Pinnae and pinnules unequal at the base, crenate to aristate-dentate, veins free. Pinnae costae with raised edges on the upper surface. Sori round; indusia peltate.
Derivation of name: polys: many, stichos: row; referring to the rows of sorion the pinnae.
Worldwide: c. 220 species, near cosmopolitan distribution.
We have 15 taxa in the database for Polystichum.
Literature