Blechnales
Encyclopedia
Eupolypods II is a clade
of fern
s in the order Polypodiales
.
Although studies agree that the families in question are related to each other, classifications which define the order Polypodiales
broadly (to include families such as Dennstaedtiaceae
and Pteridaceae
) include the Blechnales in that order. Other classifications split the broad Polypodiales into about six orders, one of which is Blechnales.
This clade includes some important ferns, including the Sensitive fern
, Onoclea sensibilis, which grows as a virtual weed throughout much of its temperate North America
n range, and ferns of the genus Thelypteris
, a genus that has shown remarkable speciation. It also includes one of the more common horticultural
ferns, the Ostrich fern
, Matteuccia struthiopteris.
The names Athyriales, Aspleniales, Thelypteridales, and Blechnales all have been validly published. However, the name Blechnales has precedence, having been published in 1993 (v. 1996 for Aspleniales, and 2001 for Thelypteridales and Athyriales). More recently however, Blechnales has been included in Polypodiales under the name of Eupolypods II.
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
of fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s in the order Polypodiales
Polypodiales
The order Polypodiales encompasses the major lineages of polypod ferns, which comprise more than 80% of today's fern species. They are found in many parts of the world including tropical, semitropical and temperate areas...
.
Although studies agree that the families in question are related to each other, classifications which define the order Polypodiales
Polypodiales
The order Polypodiales encompasses the major lineages of polypod ferns, which comprise more than 80% of today's fern species. They are found in many parts of the world including tropical, semitropical and temperate areas...
broadly (to include families such as Dennstaedtiaceae
Dennstaedtiaceae
Dennstaedtiaceae is one of fifteen families in the order Polypodiales, the most derived families within monilophytes . It includes the world's most abundant fern, Pteridium aquilinum . Members of the order generally have large, highly divided leaves and have either small, round intramarginal sori...
and Pteridaceae
Pteridaceae
Pteridaceae is a large family of ferns in the order Pteridales. Members of the family have creeping or erect rhizomes and are mostly terrestrial or epipetric...
) include the Blechnales in that order. Other classifications split the broad Polypodiales into about six orders, one of which is Blechnales.
This clade includes some important ferns, including the Sensitive fern
Sensitive fern
Onoclea sensibilis, the Sensitive fern, also known as the bead fern, is a coarse-textured, medium to large-sized perennial fern. The name comes from the observation by early American settlers that it was very sensitive to frost, the fronds dying quickly when first touched by it...
, Onoclea sensibilis, which grows as a virtual weed throughout much of its temperate North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n range, and ferns of the genus Thelypteris
Thelypteris
Thelypteris is a genus of ferns in the family Thelypteridaceae. If the genus is defined fairly broadly, it contains 875 species, many of which are extremely similar to one another, and is found nearly worldwide. The ferns are terrestrial, with the exception of a few which are lithophytes...
, a genus that has shown remarkable speciation. It also includes one of the more common horticultural
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
ferns, the Ostrich fern
Ostrich fern
The ostrich fern or shuttlecock fern is a crown-forming, colony-forming fern, occurring in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in eastern and northern Europe, northern Asia and northern North America....
, Matteuccia struthiopteris.
The names Athyriales, Aspleniales, Thelypteridales, and Blechnales all have been validly published. However, the name Blechnales has precedence, having been published in 1993 (v. 1996 for Aspleniales, and 2001 for Thelypteridales and Athyriales). More recently however, Blechnales has been included in Polypodiales under the name of Eupolypods II.