Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta (Filicophyta)
Class: Pteridopsida (Filicopsida)
Subclass: Filicinae
Order: Aspleniales
Aspleniaceae Frank in Leunis, Syn. Pflanzenkd., ed. 2, 3:1465, 1877.
The family Aspleniaceae is a problematical one in terms of division into genera. There has as yet never been demonstrated clearly valid criteria for segregating any genera from the central genus Asplenium, while there is plenty of evidence for including all species in just the one genus, large though it is, with some four hundred species.
Almost all Aspleniums have a chromosome counts based on n=36. Many species have arisen through hybridization, with accompanying polyploidy. One species, A. unilaterale, has n=40, and A. cardiophyllum has n=38. Study of the chromosomes has indicated that the n=36 is the central count, and was derived from hexaploidy from n=12.
Genera of Aspleniaceae:
Top of Page
Feedback
This page was last revised on 11-11-1997.