''Abacopteris'' is a small

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

s in the 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 ...

Description

''Abacopteris'' is a genus of medium- to large-sized ferns. Species in the genus usually have long-creeping

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

s, with brown

linear In mathematics, the term ''linear'' is used in two distinct senses for two different properties: * linearity of a '' function'' (or '' mapping''); * linearity of a '' polynomial''. An example of a linear function is the function defined by f(x) ...

lanceolate The following terms are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade ...

scales that extend onto the base of the stipe (stalk of the leaf). Fronds are pinnately divided, and fertile and sterile fronds are similar in appearance. The stipes are straw-colored, brown, or reddish. Leaf blades are green in color and thin to leathery in texture. The terminal pinna at the apex of the blade is similar in appearance to the lateral pinnae. The pinnae are not significantly smaller towards the base of the leaf. They may be

entire Entire may refer to: * Entire function, a function that is holomorphic on the whole complex plane * Entire (animal), an indication that an animal is not neutered * Entire (botany) This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions o ...

(without teeth or lobes),

crenate A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, fl ...

, or in one species, shallowly lobed.

Taxonomy

''Abacopteris'' was previously sunk into '' Pronephrium'' but was restored as a full genus as a result of a

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

study of the family Thelypteridaceae.

Species

, World Ferns accepted the following species: *''Abacopteris afra'' (Christ) comb.ined. *'' Abacopteris aspera'' (C.Presl) Ching *'' Abacopteris birii'' (R.D.Dixit & Balkr.) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris gardneri'' (Holttum) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris gracilis'' (Ching ex Y.X.Lin) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris gymnopteridifrons'' (Hayata) Ching *'' Abacopteris hirtisora'' (C.Chr.) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris macrophylla'' (Ching ex Y.X.Lin) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris nitida'' (Holttum) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris nudata'' (Roxb.) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris peltochlamys'' (C.Chr.) Holttum *'' Abacopteris repanda'' (Fee) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris setosa'' (Ching ex Y.X.Lin) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm. *'' Abacopteris yunguiensis'' (Ching ex Y.X.Lin) S.E.Fawc. & A.R.Sm.

References

Thelypteridaceae Fern genera {{Polypodiales-stub