''Elaphoglossum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

s in the family

Dryopteridaceae The Dryopteridaceae are a Family (biology), family of leptosporangiate ferns in the Order (biology), order Polypodiales. They are known Common name, colloquially as the wood ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG&n ...

, subfamily

Elaphoglossoideae Elaphoglossoideae is a subfamily of the fern family Dryopteridaceae. It has previously been regarded as the family Elaphoglossaceae. As circumscribed by the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group in their 2016 classification (PPG I), the subfamily excludes ...

, in the

Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group, or PPG, is an informal international group of systematic botanists who collaborate to establish a consensus on the classification of pteridophytes (lycophytes and ferns) that reflects knowledge about plant relation ...

classification of 2016 (PPG I).

Taxonomy

''Elaphoglossum'' was first described in 1841 by John Smith, who attributed the name to Heinrich Schott. The name ''Elaphoglossum'' in

botanical Latin Botanical Latin is a technical language based on New Latin, used for descriptions of botanical taxa. Until 2012, International Code of Botanical Nomenclature mandated Botanical Latin to be used for the descriptions of most new taxa. It is still the ...

means 'stag's tongue', in reference to the shape and texture of the leaf fronds.Gledhill D. 1996. ''The Names of Plants''. Cambridge University Press.

Species

The genus has a large number of species. The

classification of 2016 (PPG I) suggested there were about 600; ''

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

'' and the ''Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World'' both listed at least 730 . Species include: *''

Elaphoglossum conforme ''Elaphoglossum'' is a genus of ferns in the family Dryopteridaceae, subfamily Elaphoglossoideae, in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). Taxonomy ''Elaphoglossum'' was first described in 1841 by John Smith, who attr ...

'' (Sw.) J.Sm. (

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

) *''

Elaphoglossum pattersoniae ''Elaphoglossum pattersoniae'' is a very rare species of fern that is native to Peru and Bolivia. It is very close to '' E. guamannianum'', but is smaller in size, its blade apex is acute-obtuse, it lacks dark arachnidoid scales on its abaxi ...

'' Mickel *''

Elaphoglossum serpens ''Elaphoglossum serpens'' is a rare species of fern that grows only on Cerro de Punta, the highest mountain in Puerto Rico. The fern grows at one location, where there are 22 known specimens. It was federally listed as an endangered species of th ...

'' Maxon & C.V.Morton *''

Elaphoglossum tovii ''Elaphoglossum tovii'' is a species of plant discovered by E. Brown, it belongs to the genus ''Elaphoglossum'' and the family Dryopteridaceae The Dryopteridaceae are a Family (biology), family of leptosporangiate ferns in the Order (biology) ...

'' E.Brown

References

Dryopteridaceae Fern genera {{Dryopteridaceae-stub