Pteris (brake) is a genus of about 300 species of ferns in the subfamily Pteridoideae of the family Pteridaceae. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions, southward to New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa, north to Japan and North America. 78 species are found in China. Some species of Pteris have considerable economic and ecological value, such as Pteris multifida, Pteris ensiformis, Pteris vittata can be used for ornamental purposes; as a hyperaccumulator, Pteris multifida and Pteris vittata can be used to control soil pollution.
Pteridaceae is a family of ferns in the order Polypodiales, including some 1150 known species in ca 45 genera, divided over five subfamilies. The family includes four groups of genera that are sometimes recognized as separate families: the adiantoid, cheilanthoid, pteridoid, and hemionitidoid ferns. Relationships among these groups remain unclear, and although some recent genetic analyses of the Pteridales suggest that neither the family Pteridaceae nor the major groups within it are all monophyletic, as yet these analyses are insufficiently comprehensive and robust to provide good support for a revision of the order at the family level.
Adiantum sinicum is a fern species in the Vittarioideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is endemic to China. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Anogramma ascensionis, the Ascension Island parsley fern, is a species of fern in the family Pteridaceae that is endemic to Ascension Island, a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is one of eight putative species in the genus Anogramma. It was thought to have become extinct due to habitat loss, until four plants were found on the island in 2010. Over 60 specimens were then successfully cultivated at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and on Ascension Island. It is now classified as Critically Endangered.
Hecistopteris pinnatifida is a fern species in the Vittarioideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Oldenlandia adscensionis was a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It was endemic to Ascension Island. It became extinct due to habitat loss.
Thelypteris is a genus of ferns in the subfamily Thelypteridoideae, family Thelypteridaceae, order Polypodiales. Two radically different circumscriptions of the genus are in use as of January 2020. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016, the genus is a very small one with about two species. In other approaches, the genus is the only one in the subfamily Thelypteridoideae, and so includes between 875 and 1083 species.
Pteris vittata, commonly known variously as the Chinese brake, Chinese ladder brake, or simply ladder brake, is a fern species in the Pteridoideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is indigenous to Asia, southern Europe, tropical Africa and Australia. The type specimen was collected in China by Pehr Osbeck.
Doodia media, also known as rasp fern, is a fern species in the family Blechnaceae. The species was formally described by botanist Robert Brown in 1810. Distribution of the species includes New Zealand's North Island and the upper part of the South Island. It is also found in Australia and Lord Howe Island.
Pteris platyzomopsis, synonym Platyzoma microphyllum, is a fern in the family Pteridaceae. When placed in the genus Platyzoma, it was the only species; the genus was sometimes placed in its own family, Platyzomaceae. The species is native to northern Australia, occurring in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, in the Northern Territory and Queensland, and in northern New South Wales, where it is considered endangered. Vernacular names include braid fern.
The Ascension scrub and grasslands ecoregion covers the dormant volcano, Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. As well as shrubs and grasses wildlife on the island includes a range of unique flora and fauna. In particular the surrounding islets are important havens for many seabirds, although the seabird populations on Ascension island itself have been severely affected by introduced species, particularly cats.
Pteris semipinnata is a fern species in the Pteridoideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is mainly distributed in tropical regions, such as southern China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and northern India. It is also found in Japan and Bhutan. Pteris semipinnata grows in open forests, on the acid soil near streams or rocks, below 900 meters above sea level. It is native to Hong Kong and Taiwan. It should also be native to China. In any case, Hong Kong is currently a city in China, so it can be said that Pteris semipinnata is native to China.
Pteris tremula, commonly known as Australian brake, tender brake, tender brakefern, shaking brake is a fern species of the family Pteridaceae native to sheltered areas and forests in eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has pale green, lacy fronds of up to 2 meters in length, with an erect, tufted rhizome that is covered with narrow brown scales. It is fast-growing and easy to grow in cultivation, but can become weedy.
Pteris ensiformis, the slender brake, silver lace fern, sword brake fern, or slender brake fern, is a plant species of the genus Pteris in the family Pteridaceae. It is found in Asia and the Pacific.
Pteris lydgatei is a rare fern species in the Pteridoideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is known by the common name Lydgate's brake and is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known from the islands of Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Maui. It was once thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the 1990s. There are fewer than 40 individuals in the wild. This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Pteris longifolia, the longleaf brake is a species of fern in the Pteridoideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae.
Cystodium is a fern in its own family, Cystodiaceae. It contains a single species: Cystodium sorbifolium(Sm.) J.Sm. 1841. Because it looks like a small tree fern, it had previously been placed in the tree fern family Dicksoniaceae. Subsequent analysis had moved it to the Lindsaeaceae, but the most recent phylogenetic studies have placed it in its own separate family, Cystodiaceae, with a sister relationship to the current Lindsaeaceae. A fossil species of the genus Cystodium sorbifolioides is known from the Cenomanian aged Burmese amber in Myanmar.
Vittarioideae is a subfamily of the fern family Pteridaceae, in the order Polypodiales. The subfamily includes the previous families Adiantaceae and Vittariaceae.
Pteridoideae is one of the five subfamilies of the fern family Pteridaceae. This subfamily contains about 14 genera and around 400 species.
