Parathelypteris

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Parathelypteris

Description

Rather small ferns;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical, N. America present, tropical and subtropical S.E. Asia present
c. 15 species; tropical and subtropical S.E. Asia and Malesia, N. America.

Taxonomy

In his original list of species, Ching included several which I have separated as. Coryphopteris, also Aspidium immersum Bl. (Amphineuron immersum Holttum). In addition to species from Asia, he added P. noveboracensis from North America which in habit is similar to P. beddomei of Malesia. He did not include another North American species, originally named Aspidium simulatum Davenp. which is very similar to the type species P. glanduligera and has been made the type of a new genus Wagneriopteris by Löve and Löve, who reported a chromosome number 31 for it, though two previous authors had reported 32. In any event, the species here brought together are certainly not uniform in chromosome number, and it seems probable that the genus should be subdivided, but a new comprehensive study of all characters (including gametophytes) is necessary before this can be satisfactorily effected.

Cytology

n = 27 (P. cystopteroides (Eaton) Ching, P. noveboracensis (l.) Ching); n = 31 (P. beddomei); n = 32 or 31 (P. simulata (Davenp.) Nieuwl.).

Citation

Holttum 1978 – In: Acta Phytotax. Geobot.: 16