190.900 Polystichum Roth

Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011) Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature

Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria.

Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13

Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca

Description of the genus

Plants terrestrial or lithophytic. Rhizome short, erect or creeping; rhizome scales brown, entire, densely set. Stipe not articulated, scaly at base. Fronds tufted, herbaceous to coriaceous. Lamina narrowly elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, pinnate to 3-pinnate, but pinnae not basiscopically developed. Pinnae and pinnules unequal at the base, crenate to aristate-dentate, veins free. Pinnae costae with raised edges on the upper surface. Sori round; indusia peltate.

Derivation of name: polys: many, stichos: row; referring to the rows of sorion the pinnae.

Worldwide: c. 220 species, near cosmopolitan distribution.

Malawi: 3 taxa.

Links to taxa: View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

Species	FZ divisions	Content
sinense (H.Christ) H.Christ	S	Description
transvaalense N.C. Anthony	N,S	Description, Image
zambesiacum Schelpe	N,S	Description, Image

Other sources of information about Polystichum:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Polystichum
Flora of Zambia: Polystichum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Polystichum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Polystichum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Polystichum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Polystichum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Polystichum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Polystichum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Polystichum
JSTOR Plant Science: Polystichum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Polystichum
Plants of the World Online: Polystichum
Tropicos: Polystichum
Wikipedia: Polystichum