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Summary The primary vascular system of plants (the stele) has attracted interest from paleobotanists, developmental biologists, systematists, and physiologists for nearly two centuries. Ferns, with their diverse stelar morphology, deep evolutionary history, and prominent fossil record, have been a major focus in studies of the stele. To explain the diversity of stelar morphology, past adaptive hypotheses have invoked biomechanics, hydraulics, and drought tolerance as key selection pressures in the evolution of stelar complexity; but, these hypotheses often isolate the stele from a whole‐plant developmental context, ignoring potential covariation between vascular patterning and shoot morphology. Furthermore, incongruence between expected patterns and observed data challenge adaptive hypotheses, precluding a comprehensive explanation of stelar evolution. While ontogeny has been previously recognized as a factor in stelar diversification, it has not been fully integrated into a comprehensive framework. Here we synthesize 150‐years of research on stelar morphology, incorporating developmental, physiological, and phylogenetic data to present the ontogenetic hypothesis of stelar evolution. This hypothesis posits that stelar morphology is an integrated feature of whole‐plant ontogeny, not a trait shaped by direct selection for adaptive patterns. This shift in perspective provides an updated framework for understanding the determinants of stelar morphology and focusses future efforts to ask more incisive questions about the evolution and function of primary vascular architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusions Ferns are globally distributed, yet the number of studies examining the historical evolution of African taxa is relatively low. Investigation of the evolution of African fern diversity is critical in order to understand patterns and processes that have global relevance (e.g., the pantropical diversity disparity [PDD] pattern). This study aims to examine when and from where a globally distributed fern lineage arrived in sub‐Saharan Africa, to obtain a better understanding of potential processes contributing to patterns of diversity across the region.Global, sub‐Saharan Africa.Asplenium (Aspleniaceae).We analysed five loci from 537 Asplenium taxa using a maximum likelihood (IQ‐Tree) phylogenetic framework. For age estimation, we performed penalised likelihood as implemented in treePL, and executed a Bayesian analysis using BEAST. Biogeographical analyses were carried out using BioGeoBEARS.Most dispersals into Africa occurred within the last ~55 myr, with the highest diversity of sub‐Saharan African taxa concentrated in two clades, each of which descended from an Asian ancestor. Additional dispersals to sub‐Saharan Africa can be found throughout the phylogeny. Lastly, potential cryptic species diversity exists within Asplenium as evidenced by several polyphyletic taxa.We recover multiple dispersals of Asplenium to sub‐Saharan Africa, with two major lineages likely diversifying after arrival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific community is focusing on how to enhance human health and immunity through functional foods, and dietary supplements are proven to have a positive as well as a protective effect against infectious and chronic diseases. Ferns act as a taxonomical linkage between higher and lower plants and are endowed with a wide chemical diversity not subjected to sufficient scrutinization before. Even though a wealth of traditional medicinal fern uses were recorded in Chinese medicine, robust phytochemical and biological investigations of these plants are lacking. Herein, an extensive search was conducted using the keywords ferns and compounds, ferns and NMR, ferns and toxicity, and the terms ferns and chemistry, lignans, Polypodiaceae, NMR, isolation, bioactive compounds, terpenes, phenolics, phloroglucinols, monoterpenes, alkaloids, phenolics, and fatty acids were utilized with the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT. Databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Reaxys were utilized to reveal a wealth of information regarding fern chemistry and their health-promoting effects. Terpenes followed by phenolics represented the largest number of isolated active compounds. Regarding the neuroprotective effects, Psilotium, Polypodium, and Dryopteris species possessed as their major phenolics component unique chemical moieties including catechins, procyanidins, and bioflavonoids. In this updated chemical review, the pharmacological and chemical aspects of ferns are compiled manifesting their chemical diversity in the last seven years (2017–2024) together with a special focus on their nutritive and potential health-promoting effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In anthropogenic islands as urban parks, the fern species richness and composition may be determined ecologically by the quality of habitat, including area greenness, or biogeographically by area size. As the development of the theory of island biogeography also includes man-made parks, it is feasible to test whether area-species relationship applies in these urban parks, and is more pronouncedly evident compared to another ecological factor, such as NDVI. Total species number and composition of 8 urban parks in a kecamatan (subdistrict) in Tegal Regency were collected and arranged in clustering methods to understand the similarity between parks. The similarity analysis result is important for the management of the parks in Slawi. The species richness data is subsequently tested using Pearson correlation and regression against NDVI and area sizes. The relation between NDVI and species richness is nonsignificant (p=0.058), while area size and species richness is significant (p=0.003). This signifies that the urban fern species richness is determined by area as biogeographical factor, compared to NDVI as ecological factor. This result is important for the purpose of designing and managing urban parks as evidently size is important in the effort of attracting native biodiversity into urban parks and in turn enhancing the well-being of urban population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent investigations have revealed the coordination and trade-offs between above- and belowground traits in structuring functional strategies of plant communities, but none of these have addressed ferns, a diverse plant lineage in tropical forests. We investigated terrestrial ferns from the perspective of how below- and aboveground traits are coordinated with functional responses to forest edges, which represent a significant part of the world's forest cover. Specifically, we examined differences in functional strategies between forest edges and forest interior as well as traits associated with species dominance. Fern richness and abundance were sampled in 24 edge plots and 44 interior plots within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We obtained data for five leaf traits and three rhizome traits. Ferns did not express any functional coordination between above- and belowground traits. At the edge, ferns did not display functional homogenization. In both the interior and at the edge, ferns exhibited multiple trait covariations across a broad spectrum of plant sizes and leaf numbers, associated with rhizome type and the presence of leaf trichomes and stolons. There were no cohesive functional groups of generalists or of exclusive species of forest edges and the forest interior. Fern species dominance was related to the species-specific number of leaves and the presence of stolons. We conclude that below- and aboveground traits did neither respond in conjunction nor as a functional response to edge effects. However, both kinds of traits affected the functional structure and species dominance of fern communities at the edge and in the interior of the forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of large frugivores in the dispersal of tropical trees has been well‐studied, whereas the importance of the world's largest rodents for plant dispersal has previously been ignored. We studied plant dispersal by gut passage (endozoochory) in Neotropical wetlands by the largest extant rodent, the capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. We compared it with another of the world's 10 largest rodents, the nutria or coypu Myocastor coypus.We collected 96 faecal samples (50 capybara, 46 nutria) from 10 sites within the Taim Ramsar site in southern Brazil, and extracted intact propagules from 10 g subsamples. Propagules from 27 plant taxa (24 angiosperms, and three aquatic ferns) were recovered, representing 13 plant families. Whole Spirodela (duckweed) plants were dispersed. Seeds from 14 angiosperm taxa were germinated in the laboratory.Taxonomic composition of propagules was significantly different for the two mammals, but propagule size was not. Capybara dispersed more terrestrial propagules per sample, and nutrias more aquatic propagules. When total faecal production was taken into account, an estimated 1025 propagules (including 133 fern spores) were dispersed by each capybara per day, compared with 691 propagules for nutrias (including 566 fern spores). Capybaras have larger home ranges and likely dispersed plants over a greater distance.Synthesis: This is the first demonstration that rodents disperse aquatic pteridophytes as well as flowering plants. Our results suggest that capybaras and nutrias play important, complementary roles in dispersing a variety of aquatic and terrestrial plant species within Neotropical wetlands. Our study indicates that the role of herbivorous mammals as vectors of plants with small seeds and non‐fleshy fruits has been overlooked in the neotropics and that defaunation of large herbivores can have negative consequences, in a manner similar to that previously highlighted for frugivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycorrhizal association is one of the earliest and diversely distributed symbiotic associations on the Earth. This association helped early terrestrial plants to colonize the land by improved supply of nutrients like phosphate, nitrogen and zinc. It also helped plants to tolerate unfavorable soil conditions with increased water retention capacity, resistance to drought and pathogens. In return, fungi benefitted with carbon as their food source from the plants. More than 80% of terrestrial plants including pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms are reported to form arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) association. Plants with root systems appeared on land during the Devonian period and many of them like pteridophytes still exist today. Various molecular and fossil studies confirm that the plants belonging to Ordovician-Devonian are associated with fungi, which are very similar to genus Glomus. AM association is very common in pteridophytes and the growth of its sporophyte and gametophyte is directly affected in the presence of AM association. Pteridophytes as early land plants with root systems have a very significant place in the plant kingdom. They have evolved and adapted to fill various habitats and facilitated early terrestrialization of other land plants by providing suitable niche with the help of AM fungi. In spite of pteridophytes being a very important plant group in the land system, very few reports are available on fungal-pteridophyte association. The present review is an effort to gather information about AM association in pteridophytes that might help in unraveling the evolution and significance of plant and fungi association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population dynamics of rock fern Asplenium septentrionale in Estonia was monitored from 1994 to 2020; the data were analysed to understand how the rhythm of local weather variables affects the population condition and renewal. Both fern clump size and life stage (sporeling, premature, mature, senescent) structure of the population were studied. Our results indicate that the population has been stable, with a high proportion of reproductive adults. Precipitation distribution through all seasons of the year had a major impact on population recruitment. June was the key period of the year determining the survival of young sporelings. Higher rainfall in the previous year supported higher numbers of premature clumps in the following year. The number of mature fern clumps was most influenced by weather conditions during winter months and precipitation at the end of summer. The long-term survival of mature clumps might be threatened if periods without rainfall extend into the growing season and occur during consecutive years. Monitoring methods of nationally protected fern species should be improved by including individual-based observations on life stage transitions of young sporophytes (sporeling to premature, premature to mature) for predicting future trends in population conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferns are an essential group of forest plants, however their salt tolerance is poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 50 or 100 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) on the growth, visual quality, and ionic potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+) and sodium (Na+) concentrations in the fronds of evergreen ferns: Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola, Polystichum setiferum, and Polystichum setiferum 'Proliferum'. Visual quality of the plants immediately after the stress application and after the overwintering period was also carried out. Salinity resulted in the relative chlorophyll content reduction with exposure to increasing NaCl for all ferns. In C. fortunei var. clivicola and P. setiferum, salt stress led to a decrease in plant height, frond length, and weight of the above-ground part of plants as well as visual quality. For P. setiferum 'Proliferum’ there was not a significant reduction in fresh and dry weight. Moreover, P. setiferum 'Proliferum’ grown under salt stress maintained stable K+ concentrations in the fronds and high aesthetic appearance both immediately after the stress factor and after several months. In conclusion, P. setiferum 'Proliferum' was relatively salt-tolerant, and Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola and P. setiferum were sensitive to soil salinity.

Premise: Apomixis in ferns is relatively common and obligatory. Sterile hybrids may restore fertility via apomixis at a cost of long‐term genetic stagnation. In this study, we outlined apomixis as a possible temporary phase leading to sexuality and analyzed factors relating to transitioning to and away from apomixis, such as unreduced and reduced spore formation in apomict and apo‐sex hybrid ferns. Methods: We analyzed the genome size of 15 fern species or hybrids ("taxa") via flow cytometry. The number of reduced and unreduced gametophytes was established as a proxy for viable spore formation of either type. We also calculated the spore abortion ratio (sign of reduced spores) in several taxa, including the apo‐sex hybrid Dryopteris × critica and its 16 apomictically formed offspring. Results: Four of 15 sampled taxa yielded offspring variable in genome size. Specifically, each variable taxon formed one viable reduced plant among 12–451 sampled gametophytes per taxon. Thus, haploid spore formation in the studied apomicts was very rare but possible. Spore abortion analyses indicated gradually decreasing abortion (haploid spore formation) over time. In Dryopteris × critica, abortion decreased from 93.8% to mean 89.5% in one generation. Conclusions: Our results support apomixis as a transitionary phase toward sexuality. Newly formed apomicts hybridize with sexual relatives and continue to form haploid spores early on. Thus, they may get the genomic content necessary for regular meiosis and restore sexuality. If the missing relative goes extinct, the lineage gets locked into apomixis as may be the case with the Dryopteris affinis complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Equisetum is one of the oldest extant group vascular plants and is considered to be the key to understanding vascular plant evolution. Equisetum is distributed almost all over the world and has a high degree of adaptability to different environments. Despite the fossil record of horsetails (Equisetum, Equisetaceae) dating back to the Carboniferous, the phylogenetic relationship of this genus is not well, and the chloroplast evolution in Equisetum remains poorly understood. In order to fill this gap, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the chloroplast genomes of 12 species of Equisetum, and compared them to 13 previously published vascular plants chloroplast genomes to deeply examine the plastome evolutionary dynamics of Equisetum. The chloroplast genomes have a highly conserved quadripartite structure across the genus, but these chloroplast genomes have a lower GC content than other ferns. The size of Equisetum plastomes ranges from 130,773 bp to 133,684 bp and they encode 130 genes. Contraction/expansion of IR regions and the number of simple sequences repeat regions underlie large genomic variations in size among them. Comparative analysis revealed we also identified 13 divergence hotspot regions. Additionally, the genes accD and ycf1 can be used as potential DNA barcodes for the identification and phylogeny of the genus Equisetum. Twelve photosynthesisrelated genes were specifically selected in Equisetum. Comparative genomic analyses implied divergent evolutionary patterns between Equisetum and other ferns. Phylogenomic analyses and molecular dating revealed a relatively distant phylogenetic relationship between Equisetum and other ferns, supporting the division of pteridophyte into Lycophytes, Equisetaceae and ferns. The results show that the chloroplast genome can be used to solve phylogenetic problems within or between Equisetum species, and also provide genomic resources for the study of Equisetum systematics and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A preliminary species checklist of ferns and lycophytes in the upper montane forest of Mt. Balatukan, Gingoog City, Southern Philippines was provided, including their conservation and ecological status assessments. Specimens were collected through repeated transect walks. Species inventory revealed a total of 112 species (16 were lycophytes and 97 were ferns) belonging to 61 genera and 23 families. The top five families with the highest species richness are Polypodiaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Hymenophyllaceae, and Lindsaeaceae. In addition, most of the collected specimens were terrestrial and epiphytic. In terms of its conservation status and ecological status, out of 16 threatened species, seven are endangered (Phlegmariurus salvinoides, P. squarossus, Dicksonia mollis, Lepisorus platyrhynchos, Ophioglossum ramosii, O. pendulum, and Tmesipteris zamorarum), five are vulnerable (Alsophila fuliginousa, Asplenium vittaeforme, Aglaomorpha cornucopia, Botrychium daucifolium, and Sphaeropteris elmeri), three are other wildlife species (Lindsaea apoensis, Polystichum elmeri, and Callisopteris apiifolia), and only one other threatened species (Angiopteris evecta). Lastly, nine species of pteridophytes are widely distributed in the Philippines, and one species is narrowly distributed in Mindanao, with the family Lindsaeaceae and Polypodiaceae having the highest number of endemic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferns are an essential group of forest plants, however their salt tolerance is poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 50 or 100 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) on the growth, biomass, and ionic potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+) and sodium (Na+) concentrations in the fronds of evergreen ferns: Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola, Polystichum setiferum, and Polystichum setiferum 'Proliferum'. Visual quality of the plants immediately after the stress application and after the overwintering period was also carried out. Salinity resulted in the relative chlorophyll content reduction with exposure to increasing NaCl for all ferns. In C. fortunei var. clivicola and P. setiferum, salt stress led to a decrease in plant height, frond length, and weight of the above-ground part of plants as well as visual quality. For P. setiferum 'Proliferum' there was not a significant reduction in fresh and dry weight. Moreover, P. setiferum 'Proliferum' grown under salt stress maintained stable K+ concentrations in the fronds and high aesthetic appearance both immediately after the stress factor and after several months. In conclusion, P. setiferum 'Proliferum' was relatively salt-tolerant and Cyrtomium fortunei var. clivicola and P. setiferum were sensitive to soil salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycorrhizal association is one of the earliest and diversely distributed symbiotic associations on the Earth. This association helped early terrestrial plants to colonize the land by improved supply of nutrients like phosphate, nitrogen and zinc. It also helped plants to tolerate unfavorable soil conditions with increased water retention capacity, resistance to drought and pathogens. In return, fungi benefitted with carbon as their food source from the plants. More than 80% of terrestrial plants including pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms are reported to form arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) association. Plants with root systems appeared on land during the Devonian period and many of them like pteridophytes still exist today. Various molecular and fossil studies confirm that the plants belonging to Ordovician-Devonian are associated with fungi, which are very similar to genus Glomus. AM association is very common in pteridophytes and the growth of its sporophyte and gametophyte is directly affected in the presence of AM association. Pteridophytes as early land plants with root systems have a very significant place in the plant kingdom. They have evolved and adapted to fill various habitats and facilitated early terrestrialization of other land plants by providing suitable niche with the help of AM fungi. In spite of pteridophytes being a very important plant group in the land system, very few reports are available on fungal-pteridophyte association. The present review is an effort to gather information about AM association in pteridophytes that might help in unraveling the evolution and significance of plant and fungi association.

The scientific community is focusing on how to enhance human health and immunity through functional foods, and dietary supplements are proven to have a positive as well as a protective effect against infectious and chronic diseases. Ferns act as a taxonomical linkage between higher and lower plants and are endowed with a wide chemical diversity not subjected to sufficient scrutinization before. Even though a wealth of traditional medicinal fern uses were recorded in Chinese medicine, robust phytochemical and biological investigations of these plants are lacking. Herein, an extensive search was conducted using the keywords ferns and compounds, ferns and NMR, ferns and toxicity, and the terms ferns and chemistry, lignans, Polypodiaceae, NMR, isolation, bioactive compounds, terpenes, phenolics, phloroglucinols, monoterpenes, alkaloids, phenolics, and fatty acids were utilized with the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT. Databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Reaxys were utilized to reveal a wealth of information regarding fern chemistry and their health-promoting effects. Terpenes followed by phenolics represented the largest number of isolated active compounds. Regarding the neuroprotective effects, Psilotium, Polypodium, and Dryopteris species possessed as their major phenolics component unique chemical moieties including catechins, procyanidins, and bioflavonoids. In this updated chemical review, the pharmacological and chemical aspects of ferns are compiled manifesting their chemical diversity in the last seven years (2017–2024) together with a special focus on their nutritive and potential health-promoting effects.

Background and aims -- In contrast to the flowering plants, the pteridophyte flora of Madagascar is still understudied. While several studies have been published on the eastern and central parts of the island, there are currently few works dedicated to the pteridophytes of southwestern Madagascar. The aim of this work is to increase the knowledge of the pteridophyte flora of the Isalo massif in southwestern Madagascar. It presents a checklist of Isalo's pteridophytes and an analysis of the diversity and distribution patterns of pteridophyte communities across ecological gradients in the eastern canyons of Isalo. Material and methods -- Eighty plots were placed in six canyons. In each plot, pteridophyte species abundance was inventoried, as well as several ecological and geomorphological variables. A census in the field and observations on specimens in herbaria were carried to make a checklist of all the pteridophyte species known for Isalo. Statistical analysis was carried out to understand the pteridophyte diversity and distribution patterns in the Isalo's canyons: (1) exploratory analysis (FAMD and HCPC) highlights the general patterns of ecological gradients, (2) a rarefaction curve was used to compare species diversity, and (3) co-inertia analysis investigated the relationship between ecological gradient and pteridophyte communities. Key results -- In total, 60 species of ferns and lycophytes have been recorded in the massif, including ten endemic species to Madagascar and 11 species reported for the first time in the Isalo massif. Species diversity is especially high in the northern canyons (Anjofo, Andramanero, Antsifotra) in contrast to the middle (Maki and Rats) and southern (Namaza) canyons. Fern distribution patterns were correlated to a combination of environmental factors, highlighting species-specific ecological preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant species often show different taxonomic and functional characteristics between limestone forests (LFs) and non-limestone forests (NLFs) in tropical regions. Pteridophyte species are one of the major components in tropical rainforests; however, the morphological and physiological characteristics of pteridophytes occurring in LFs are poorly understood. We evaluated the differences in seven leaf functional traits between pteridophyte species in LFs and NLFs in southwest China. We measured leaf water content, morphological traits including leaf size, leaf thickness, stomatal length and stomatal density (SD), and physiological traits including stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate from a total of 25 species. We found that pteridophytes had thicker and smaller leaves with lower SD and stomatal conductance in LFs compared with NLFs, probably reflecting their adaptations in water use strategies. These differences, however, became non-significant when phylogenetic relationships were taken into account, suggesting that phylogenetic conservatism shapes trait differences and ultimately species composition in LFs and NLFs. Some species that were commonly found in both LFs and NLFs exhibited intraspecific variation between forest types, with lower SD in LFs. Our findings suggest that only a handful of pteridophyte species can adapt to their water use strategies in both LFs and NLFs, and thus adaptative radiation is unlikely to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: M. Irfan and S. Fawcett Key words:Thelypteridaceae, Polypodiopsida, Pakistan, Taxonomy, Key to species. INTRODUCTION Thelypteridaceae Ching ex Pic.Serm. is a large family of pteridophytes which is represented by two [...]

Abstract Ferns and lycophytes are plants often overlooked in most floristic inventories, leading to considerable gaps in the knowledge of their diversity and geographic distribution. To address this issue, we conducted a study aimed at reducing these gaps for the restingas of Santa Catarina, south Brazil. This involved conducting a series of field works in strategic sites within the municipality of Laguna, representing all three main restingas phytophysiognomies (herbaceous/subshrubby, shrubby, and arboreal), across different abiotic conditions and conservation degrees. Two species of lycophytes (one family) and 31 ferns (14 families) were recorded in the restingas of Laguna, almost three-quarters of the diversity reported for the restingas of the state of Santa Catarina. Besides, 11 of these species are mentioned here for the first time for Santa Catarina restingas. These numbers were obtained through extensive field surveys, but considering the area of restinga remnants, some of which are still relatively unexplored, it is plausible that the diversity of ferns and lycophytes in Laguna may be even greater. These findings reinforce the need to carry out floristic surveys aimed at ferns and lycophytes in the different phytophysiognomies of the restinga, because only with an increase of sampling effort, considering the environmental heterogeneity, it will be possible to better estimate the diversity of these and other plant groups. This study also provides important data for the management and conservation of the restingas, which are among the ecosystems historically most impacted by human activities.

Abstract This study contributes to the flora of ferns and lycophytes, also referred to as pteridophytes, from the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins (EESGT), which is part of the Jalapão region in Tocantins. Although Jalapão is one of the largest protected areas in the Cerrado vegetation of Northern Brazil, its biodiversity has, thus far, been poorly reported in the literature. Therefore, fieldwork was recently carried out at EESGT in different habitats. Our collections and data from digital repositories included 31 ferns and four lycophyte species belonging to 20 genera of 15 families. Despite occupying only a small fraction of the landscape, forests concentrate most pteridophyte diversity, reinforcing their importance for the conservation of this group within the Cerrado. Eleven species are new records for Tocantins, one is new for Bahia, and one was recently described (Anemia areniticola). In addition to a list of all taxa, we provide illustrations and an identification key to encourage further studies on this often-neglected component of Cerrado flora.

Adiantum venustum D. Don (Himalayan or Evergreen maiden hair fern), also known as ‘Hansraj’ in India, is a pteridophytes that grows extensively in tropical and temperate areas. It has been used in traditional medicines to treatment cough, cold, fever, and headache. However, the information available is scarce and scattered. So, the primary goal of this review is to provide complete and updated knowledge about the distribution, morphology, pharmacognostic characteristics, chemistry and biological activities of A. venustum to assess its therapeutic potential and future research opportunities. Different parts of this fern have been extensively used in traditional medicines to treatment diseases from time immemorial. It is a reservoir of active chemical compounds like terpenoids, flavonoids, fatty acids, sterol, carotenoids and others, which possesses antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, and anti-analgesic properties. The current review has been designed to provide the upto-date knowledge and perspectives about A. venustum and its potential use as a therapeutic plant. So, researchers should take a keen interest in exploring and isolating new active components, bio-assay their pharmaceutical values and mode of action, and conducting clinical trials to justify their reported studies on human health benefits.

The leaves of the plant Dryopteris marginalis collected from Kumaon District, Nainital India, were analyzed for the presence of different phytochemicals. The aim of this study is to screen the biologically active compounds; alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, phenolic compounds, fat and oils, reducing and non-reducing sugar and amino acids. Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, steroids, saponins, alkaloids, amino acids, volatile oils, reducing and hexose sugar. The phytochemical composition of the leaves of the plants indicates their medicinal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Deonggae coast on Jeju Island is a unique habitat that has not yet been studied from an ecological management or conservation perspective, despite its importance as the northernmost habitat of subtropical plants in Asia and the sole habitat of an endangered fern, Thelypteris interrupta, in Korea. To provide insights into this habitat’s systematic management, we comprehensively characterized its abiotic and biotic components. Methods: Our study found two distinct plant communities (Persicaria japonica-Thelypteris interrupta and Thelypteris interrupta-Phragmites australis), driven by their respective microhabitats and influenced by soil inundation frequency, water depth, and salinity. We examined the phytosociological similarities and habitat characteristics of these two communities. Results: Thelypteris interrupta could be distributed in the northernmost part of the Deonggae coast due to its greater heat preference. However, this limits its spread toward polar regions. We suggested minimizing the transformation of wetlands into terrestrial habitats by reducing the introduction of external soils and establishing ecological continuity with neighboring ecosystems while educating visitors about the area’s ecology as two habitat conservation practices. Conclusion: The Deonggae coast is a natural wetland with a high conservation value as a habitat for endangered wildlife and a refuge for opportunistic species under the influence of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild edible plants provide a wide range of dietary benefits in the form of bioactives, minerals, and fibers. Pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) are an important source of edible plants and play a significant role among rural communities in India and elsewhere. Despite many phytochemical and biological studies of pteridophytes, much less attention has been paid to traditional knowledge of their dietary, medicinal, and other uses. We address this gap with an overview of traditional uses of wild edible and economically important pteridophytic species in India, their pharmacological importance, and major phytochemicals. A total of 142 species belonging to 26 families and 66 genera were noted as edible and economically important species. The data show a strong relationship between indigenous communities and wild pteridophytic species as a potential source of their livelihood. This local ecological knowledge on pteridophytes can be preserved and utilized to combat dietary deficiencies, improve the livelihoods of rural communities, and could guide future research programs to encourage socioeconomic development in rural areas and biodiversity conservation. This is the first report to broadly review the edible and economic uses of pteridophytes in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Much attention has been directed to understanding species richness patterns, but adding an evolutionary perspective allows us to also consider the historical processes determining current diversity patterns. We analyzed phylogenetic patterns of fern species assemblages in 868 plots along a wide range of elevational (0-4000 m) and latitudinal (0°-23°N) gradients in the Neotropics to allow a deeper understanding of evolutionary processes underlying current patterns of diversity and community assembly. Overall, we found that phylogenetic mean pairwise distance (sMPD) and mean nearest taxon distance (sMNTD) decreased with increasing latitude and elevation, but that these geographical factors per se were weak explanatory variables. Incorporating environmental variables strongly enhanced the power of the predictive model, indicating that fern assemblages are phylogenetically more diverse under wet and warm to cool conditions at low latitudes and elevations. Further, whereas epiphytic fern assemblages were strongly influenced by climatic factors, this was not the case for terrestrial ones, suggesting that edaphic conditions and vegetation structure may have a stronger influence on the evolution and diversification of terrestrial ferns. We conclude that fern assemblages are strongly influenced by phylogenetic niche conservatism and environmental filtering. This has also been found for angiosperms, but the direction of the environment-phylogenetic relationship is often opposed in the two groups, suggesting that the older age of many fern lineages includes historical signals that are not evident in the more recent angiosperm radiation.

Pteridophytes in Iraq are very limited in number due to the hot, dry and partly desertic climate, though in Kurdistan in the N. and N.E. of the country, damper higher altitude conditions allow some extensions of range of the European-Mediterranean type flora from adjacent S.E. Turkey and N. W. Iran. Boissier (1884) and Zohary (95) included a few species of pteridophytes in their general accounts of the Iraqi flora. Then Hadač (96) and Ballard (966) made the only detailed checklist-studies of Iraqi ferns and allies, listing 7 species each, of which 16 were correct. More recently Maulood et al. (2 7-2 2) and Ismail et al. (2018-2 22) have published several local papers with reports of species known from Kurdistan, N. Iraq, and in order to enhance their taxonomic accuracy these have been evaluated and re-identified here as far as possible, though mainly from unlocalised field photographs without properly documented herbarium voucher specimens for verification. Several corrections have therefore been made to their reports, including three newly identified records for Iraq. Twenty-one pteridophyte species are now verified from Iraq, listed here with specimens cited where possible, including a number seen by the first author in international herbaria. Thoroughly documented fieldwork and comprehensive study in herbaria, both abroad and especially in Iraq, are still required to obtain a more complete and critically accurate picture of fern distribution within Iraq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new checklist of Bhutanese pteridophytes has recently been compiled listing 563 (535 species and 2 additional subspecies with seven additional unnumbered hybrids, excluding cultivated species) giving details and citing specimens (Fraser-Jenkins et al., 2 23). The present work provides information on the taxa newly recorded for Bhutan, collected by the author in the west, east and south-east of the country. A total of 2 taxa has been discovered new for Bhutan and are listed here, with brief details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An updated checklist of ferns and lycophytes of Algeria is presented, including taxonomy, distribution, conservation status, and notes. Overall, 61 taxa of ferns and lycophytes, from 2 genera and 16 families, are reported for Algeria, which counts for approximately 54% of the North African pteridophytes. There are also ten further uncertain taxa that need modern confirmation. The purpose of this work was to revise the checklist of all known pteridophytes present in Algeria and to provide a discussion on their taxonomy diversity, distribution pattern, rarity, conservation status, and national legal protection. Critical comments on most of the taxa are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study records two species of Pteridophytes, viz., Hemionitis cordata Roxb. ex Hook. & Grev. and Ophioglossum nudicaule L.f. of Pteridaceae and Ophioglossaceae, and two species of Angiosperms, viz., Bacopa australis V.C. Souza and Salvia misella Kunth of Plantaginaceae and Lamiaceae, respectively, for the first time in Bangladesh, based on the plant specimens collected during the recent botanical explorations conducted in selected areas of Bagerhat, Barguna, and Cumilla districts. A detailed taxonomic description with key characters, notes on ecology, uses, distribution, distinctness from other similar taxa, representative specimens examined, and photographs of each of these four species have been provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides a floristic account of the S. R. T. Campus (HNB Garhwal University, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand) which enumerates 193 taxa, distributed under 158 genera and 70 families of Angiosperms, Gymnosperms and Pteridophytes. Life form analysis revealed the presence of 65.28% herbs, 17.62 % shrubs 12.44 % trees, and. climber 4.66%. Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Rosaceae revealed as the dominant families (in term of number of species) which together contributed 36.46% in the total species count. Desmodium with 4 species revealed as the dominant genus followed by Carex, Solanum, and Indigofera (3 species each). Of these, 17.13% species bears white flower, 15.47% yellow, 11.61% Pink, 9.94% green, blue 7.185.52 purple, 4.42% red while rest of the species (28.74%) bears flowers of other than colour class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out to study the diversity and assess the conservation status and endemism of ferns and lycophytes in the Mt. Malambo, Datu Salumay, Southern Philippines. Repeated transect walks were done with 20 sampling plots delineated on the site. Specimens were collected, identified, and assessed for their conservation status and endemism. Data gathered were analyzed employing the Shannon-Weiner Index. The inventory revealed 215 species (202 species of ferns and 13 species of lycophytes) belonging to 74 genera and 23 families. Polypodiaceae, Aspleniaceae, Hymenophyllaceae, and Pteridaceae were the species-rich families collected. Asplenium nidus L., Pneumatopteris costata (Brackenr.) Holttum, and Asplenium thunbergii Kunze obtained the highest species importance values. Mt. Malambo has a diversity value of H’=1.83 which is higher compared to other mountains in Mindanao. This study reports 20 Philippine endemic and 19 threatened species of ferns and lycophytes in the area. Of these, one is critically endangered, 11 are endangered, five are vulnerable, and two are other threatened species. The presence of many threatened and endemic species in the area implies that high priority should be addressed in protecting and conserving these species of ferns and lycophytes in Mt. Malambo.