''Eupodium'' is a genus 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 exce ...

s in the family

Marattiaceae Marattiaceae is the only family of extant (living) ferns in the order Marattiales. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), Marattiales is the only order in the subclass Marattiidae. The family has six genera and about ...

native to the

Neotropics The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In bioge ...

. Traditionally, many taxonomists have included ''Eupodium'' within the genus ''

Marattia ''Marattia'' is a small genus of primitive, large, fleshy eusporangiate ferns. It is the type genus of the family Marattiaceae, order Marattiales and class Marattiopsida. Formerly considered to be a much larger genus, genetic analysis has shown ...

'' (along with ''

Ptisana Sori of ''Ptisana fraxinea'' ''Ptisana'' is a genus in the eusporangiate fern family Marattiaceae, comprising species historically treated in the genus '' Marattia''. The establishment of this genus follows the 2008 work by Andrew G. Murdock, wh ...

''). However, molecular phylogenetic studies and morphological studies of extant and fossil taxa support the recognition of ''Eupodium'' as a lineage distinct from ''Marattia''. Morphologically, ''Eupodium'' was thought to be distinct among the

in only having one

frond A frond is a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group. Other botanists allow the term frond to also apply to the lar ...

at a time (occasionally two), bearing awns along veins, and having stalked

synangia A sporangium (; from Late Latin, ) is an enclosure in which spores are formed. It can be composed of a single cell or can be multicellular. Virtually all plants, fungi, and many other lineages form sporangia at some point in their life cy ...

(clusters of sporangia that have become fused in development). However, recent phylogenetic work found that an additional species native to Brazil, ''

Eupodium cicutifolium ''Eupodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Marattiaceae native to the Neotropics. Traditionally, many taxonomists have included ''Eupodium'' within the genus ''Marattia'' (along with ''Ptisana''). However, molecular phylogenetic studies and m ...

'', which lacks these characters, is also genetically in ''Eupodium'', making the genus challenging to distinguish morphologically. ''Eupodium cicutifolium'' does occasionally have short-stalked synangia, and has spinulose spores like the other ''Eupodium'' species, but is otherwise easily mistaken for a ''Marattia'' or ''

''. The genus currently has four recognized species. The basal chromosome number for this genus is unknown. The type species is ''

Eupodium kaulfussii ''Eupodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Marattiaceae native to the Neotropics. Traditionally, many taxonomists have included ''Eupodium'' within the genus ''Marattia'' (along with ''Ptisana''). However, molecular phylogenetic studies and m ...

''.

Species

The genus includes the following species: * ''

'' (

Kaulf. Georg Friedrich Kaulfuss (8 April 1786 – 9 December 1830) was a professor at Halle. He described the pteridophytes collected by Adelbert von Chamisso, and he named the fern ''Cibotium chamissoi'' after him. The genus ''Kaulfussia'' is name ...

) Lehtonen (Brazil, northern Argentina) * ''

'' ( J.Sm.) J.Sm. (Brazil) * ''

Eupodium laeve ''Eupodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Marattiaceae native to the Neotropics. Traditionally, many taxonomists have included ''Eupodium'' within the genus ''Marattia'' (along with ''Ptisana''). However, molecular phylogenetic studies and m ...

'' (

Sm. __NOTOC__ Sir James Edward Smith (2 December 1759 – 17 March 1828) was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society. Early life and education Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a ...

) Murdock (Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico) * ''

Eupodium pittieri ''Eupodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Marattiaceae native to the Neotropics. Traditionally, many taxonomists have included ''Eupodium'' within the genus ''Marattia'' (along with ''Ptisana''). However, molecular phylogenetic studies and ...

'' ( Maxon) Christenh. (Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Trinidad)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5410872 Marattiidae Fern genera