''Elaphoglossum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

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 exce ...

s in the family

Dryopteridaceae The Dryopteridaceae are a family of leptosporangiate ferns in the order Polypodiales. They are known colloquially as the wood ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), the family is placed in the suborder ...

, subfamily

Elaphoglossoideae Elaphoglossoideae is a subfamily of the fern family Dryopteridaceae The Dryopteridaceae are a family of leptosporangiate ferns in the order Polypodiales. They are known colloquially as the wood ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group clas ...

, 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 relatio ...

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 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'' 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 at ...

'' (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 specime ...

) *''

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'' E.Brown

References

Dryopteridaceae Fern genera {{Dryopteridaceae-stub