Pteridophyta: Gleicheniales

Gleicheniaceae - Forking Fern Family

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 family

Terrestrial or lithophytic ferns. Rhizome thin, widely creeping, branched, apex with fringed scales or branched hairs. Fronds widely spaced, arranged in 1 row, scandent, with indeterminate growth. Lamina variously compound, pseudo- dichotomously branched with a dormant apical bud between the pairs of pinnae, herbaceous to coriaceous. Veins free, forked. Indumentum composed of stellate and branched hairs and fimbriate bracts confined to the rhizome and frond axes. Sori circular, superficial or immersed, on acroscopic vein branches, without indusia.

Worldwide: Pantropical, also in Japan, Australia and New Zealand (Source GBIF); 6 genera and ± 125 species

Zambia: 1 genus and 1 taxon.

Links to genera: View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

Genus	Content
Dicranopteris Bernh.	Description, Image

Other sources of information about Gleicheniaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Gleicheniaceae
Flora of the DRC: Gleicheniaceae
Flora of Malawi: Gleicheniaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Gleicheniaceae
Flora of Rwanda: Gleicheniaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Gleicheniaceae

External websites:

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