Schizaea

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Schizaeaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Schizaea

  • Description

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    Genus Description - Rhizomes short-creeping or ascending, subterranean, hairy; fronds erect, undivided and grass-like, or the veins dichotomously forked and forming a fan-like divided or undivided blade; sporangia on terminal pinnate fertile pinnules of fertile blades, either at the apices of undivided blades or on terminal flag-like projections on fan-shaped blades; sporangia in two rows on each fertile segment, often mixed with hairs, sporangia erect, oblong with terminal annuli, exindusiate; spores bilateral, foveolate; x=77, 94, 96, 103.

  • Discussion

    Type (implicit in Smith’s publication; see Webbia 12: 6. 1956): Schizaea dichotoma (L.) Sm. [= Acrostichum dichotomum L.].

    Lophidium Rich., Actes Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris 1: 114. 1792, nom. rejic. Type: Lophidium latifolium Rich. = Schizaea elegans (Vahl) Sw.

    Schizaea is a genus of about 20 species, largely of the Old World tropics. It is distinct by its erect apically annular sporangia on flag-like projections of the blade and grass-like to flabellate lamina. It is related most closely to Actinostachys, which is sometimes included in Schizaea, and more distantly to Anemia and Lygodium (e.g., Hasebe et al., 1995). They agree in having terminal annuli.