The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

True (Leptosporangiate) ferns

Blechnum discolor. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe.

True or leptosporangiate ferns account for more than half of all ferns with between 11,000 and 12,000 taxa worldwide. This makes them the most diverse group of living land plants after flowering plants. They are characterised by having sporangia that arise from a single epidermal cell. Typically, the sporangium is also covered by an indusium although this may be much reduced.

For more information see*:

• Leptosporangiate ferns by Kathleen M. Pryer, Alan R. Smith and Carl Rothfells
• Leptosporangiate ferns (Wikipedia)

*The Network is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Grammittis ciliata. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe.

This page last updated on 25 Sep 2012