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Pteridophytes
This collection aims to cover pteridophytes. Pteridophytes include ferns and horsetails (Monilophyta) as well as lycopods (Lycopodiophyta). The group was given the name Pteridophyta, but it is considered to be an outdated term since it is paraphyletic, as the clade excludes seed-bearing plants, more closely related to monilophytes than lycopods. However, this term is still used here because as a convenient and informal group.
This collection only contains a small sampling of all pteridophytes. They can range from clubmosses, which look like miniature Christmas trees, to primitive-looking tree ferns. A commonality between them is that they lack seeds, and reproduce using spores.
Adiantum pedatum
Five-fingered Fern
Pteridaceae
Adiantum pedatum is a species of fern in the family Pteridaceae. It is native to eastern North America, and northeastern Asia, and is widely cultivated elsewhere. Several species are similar to it and have at one point been considered part of the species, forming a large complex. These include A. myriosorum, which is native to the Himalayas and Taiwan; A. aleuticum, which is native to western North America and a bit of the northeast United States/southeastern Canada; and A. viridimontanum which is native to eastern North America (Lu et al. 2011).
Adiantum trapeziforme
Diamond Maidenhair Fern
Pteridaceae
Adiantum trapeziforme is a species of fern in the family Pteridaceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and is commonly cultivated and naturalized elsewhere. It should not be confused with the species Adiantum cunninghamii, which has an illegitimate synonym, Adiantum trapeziforme described by Georg Forster (Brownsey and Perrie 2020).
Asplenium nidus
Bird's Nest Fern
Aspleniaceae
Asplenium nidus is a species of fern in the family Aspleniaceae. It has a paleotropical distribution, and is cultivated as an ornamental. Asplenium nidus is part of a species complex, and the taxonomy of the genus as a whole is in need of a revision (Wu et al. 2013).
Asplenium wrightii
Wright's Bird's Nest Fern
Aspleniaceae
Asplenium wrightii is a species of fern in the family Aspleniaceae. It is native to China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Asplenium wrightii is part of a species complex, and the taxonomy of the genus as a whole is in need of a revision (Wu et al. 2013).
Dryopteris carthusiana
Spinulose Wood Fern
Dryopteridaceae
Dryopteris carthusiana is a species of fern in the family Dryopteridaceae. It is native to much of northern North America and Eurasia. It is a species derived from hybridization that became fertile after chromosome doubling; one parent is Dryopteris intermedia but the other one is apparently now extinct (FNAEC 1993).
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