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 ...
of
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 subfamily Thelypteridoideae, family
Thelypteridaceae
Thelypteridaceae is a family of about 900 species of ferns in the order Polypodiales. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), it is placed in the suborder Aspleniineae. Alternatively, the family may be submerged in a v ...
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), the genus is a very small one with about two species. In other approaches, the genus is the only one in the subfamily Thelypteridoideae, and so includes between 875 and 1083 species.
The genus name is from Greek ''thēlys'' "female" and ''pteris'' "fern". However, "female fern" usually refers to the
common lady-fern
''Athyrium filix-femina'', the lady fern or common lady-fern, is a large, feathery species of fern native to temperate Asia, Europe, North Africa, Canada and the USA. It is often abundant (one of the more common ferns) in damp, shady woodland env ...
.
Taxonomy
At one time, all thelypterioid ferns were included in the genus '' Dryopteris'' because of the sorus shape. However, there are a great many differences between the groups, and these plants are now segregated in their own family.
Some researchers include the entire family
Thelypteridaceae
Thelypteridaceae is a family of about 900 species of ferns in the order Polypodiales. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), it is placed in the suborder Aspleniineae. Alternatively, the family may be submerged in a v ...
in the genus ''Thelypteris''. An intermediate position is to place the bulk in ''Thelypteris'' (corresponding to Thelypterioideae of PPG I), which can then be divided into subgenera and sections corresponding to the genera of other authors, but to separate out ''
Phegopteris
''Phegopteris'' is a genus of ferns in the family Thelypteridaceae, subfamily Phegopteridoideae, in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). They are known collectively as the beech ferns. Species are native to Asia, North ...
'' and ''
Macrothelypteris
''Macrothelypteris'' is a genus of ferns in the family Thelypteridaceae, subfamily Phegopteridoideae, in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). The genus name means 'large ''Thelypteris.
Species
, the ''Checklist of ...
''. Another choice is to divide the family into many genera, one of which is ''Thelypteris''. This is the approach taken 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 ...
Thelypteris palustris
''Thelypteris palustris'', the marsh fern, or eastern marsh fern, is a species of fern native to eastern North America and across Eurasia
Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily ...
'' (Salisb.) Schott
Other sources place the entire subfamily Thelypteridoideae in the genus, and so accept many more species, including the following (synonyms from the ''Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World''):
* ''Thelypteris aculeata'' A.R.Sm. = '' Amauropelta aculeata''
* ''Thelypteris appressa'' A.R.Sm. = ''
Amauropelta appressa
''Amauropelta appressa'', synonym ''Thelypteris appressa'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist m ...
Amauropelta conformis
''Amauropelta conformis'', synonym ''Thelypteris conformis'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss
...
''
* ''Thelypteris correllii'' A.R.Sm. = ''
Amauropelta correllii
''Amauropelta correllii'', synonym ''Thelypteris correllii'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss
...
''
* ''Thelypteris dodsonii'' A.R.Sm. = ''
Amauropelta dodsonii
''Amauropelta dodsonii'', synonym ''Thelypteris dodsonii'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist m ...
Amauropelta elegantula
''Amauropelta elegantula'', synonym ''Thelypteris elegantula'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is native to Colombia and Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by h ...
''
* ''Thelypteris euthythrix'' A.R.Sm. = ''
Amauropelta euthythrix
''Amauropelta euthythrix'', synonym ''Thelypteris euthythrix'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss
...
''
* ''Thelypteris fluminalis'' A.R.Sm. = ''
Amauropelta fluminalis
''Amauropelta fluminalis'', synonym ''Thelypteris fluminalis'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is native to Colombia and Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is ...
''
* ''Thelypteris inabonensis'' Proctor = ''
Amauropelta inabonensis
''Amauropelta inabonensis'', synonym ''Thelypteris inabonensis'', is a rare species of fern known by the common name cordillera maiden fern.Desv.) Morton = ''
Christella normalis
''Christella normalis'', synonym ''Thelypteris kunthii'', sometimes known as Kunth's maiden fern or southern shield fern, is the most common of the maiden ferns in the southeastern United States south of the fall line. It ranges westward to eas ...
''
* ''Thelypteris macra'' A.R.Sm. = ''
Amauropelta macra
''Amauropelta macra'', synonym ''Thelypteris macra'', is a species of fern in the family Thelypteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss
Hab ...
''
* ''Thelypteris nevadensis'' (Baker) Clute ex Morton = ''
Parathelypteris nevadensis
''Parathelypteris nevadensis'', synonym ''Thelypteris nevadensis'', is a species of fern known by the common names Sierra marsh fern, Sierra wood fern, and Nevada marsh fern. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to the moun ...
Parathelypteris noveboracensis
''Amauropelta noveboracensis'', the New York fern, is a perennial species of fern found throughout the eastern United States and Canada, from Louisiana to Newfoundland, but most concentrated within Appalachia and the Atlantic Northeast. New York ...
Coryphopteris simulata
''Coryphopteris simulata'', synonym ''Thelypteris simulata'', is a species of fern native to the Northeastern United States. It is known by two common names: bog-fern and Massachusetts fern. It is often confused with the silvery spleenwort, ...