Plants short-lived, rooted or floating. Stems erect, bearing a few thin scales. Leaves dimorphic, erect to spreading, with adventitious bud initials or small plantlets along margins; proximal leaves sterile, herbaceous, venation reticulate, without included veinlets; distal leaves fertile, larger than sterile leaves; segments revolute, covering sporangia. Sporangia abaxial, thin-walled, with mixed development, bearing 0–71 indurate annulus cells. Spores yellow, 16 or 32 per sporangium, 70–150 µm diam. Gametophytes terrestrial, green, asymmetrically cordate.

Distribution

Tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions worldwide.

Discussion

Genus 1, species 3–4 (3 species in the flora).

Selected References

Benedict, R. C. 1909. The genus Ceratopteris: A preliminary revision. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 463--476.

Lloyd, R. M. 1974. Systematics of the genus Ceratopteris Brongn. (Parkeriaceae) II. Taxonomy. Brittonia 26(2): 139--160.

Lower Taxa

Ceratopteris

Illustrations

	Family ⠉	Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Parkeriaceae Parkeriaceae	Ceratopteris pteridoides Ceratopteris thalictroides	John Myers John Myers