Polystichum

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Divisio: Tracheophyta
Divisio: Pteridophyta
Classis: Polypodiopsida
Ordo: Polypodiales

Familia: Dryopteridaceae
Genus: Polystichum
Species:

A

P. acanthophyllum – P. acrostichoides – P. aculeatum – P. aculeolatum – P. acutidens – P. acutipinnulum – P. adungense – P. albomarginatum – P. alcicorne – P. alfaroi – P. alluvium – P. alpinum – P. altum – P. ambiguum – P. amboroense – P. amboversum – P. ammifolium – P. anceps – P. andersonii – P. andinum – P. annapurnicola – P. anomalum – P. aquifolium – P. archboldii – P. articulatipilosum – P. asiae-minoris – P. assurgentipinnum – P. atkinsonii – P. attenuatum – P. auriculum – P. australiense – P. australium – P. austropaleaceum
B

P. bachii – P. bakerianum – P. balansae – P. bamlerianum – P. basipinnatum – P. biaristatum – P. bicknellii – P. bifidum – P. bigemmatum – P. bissectum – P. boboense – P. bolanicum – P. bonapartii – P. bonseyi – P. bradei – P. brassii – P. braunii – P. bulbiferum
C

P. calderonense – P. californicum – P. capillipes – P. caruifolium – P. caudatum – P. caudescens – P. cavernicola – P. centronepalense – P. chaparense – P. cheilanthoides – P. chilense – P. chingiae – P. christianae – P. christii – P. chunii – P. clarinervium – P. cochleatum – P. concinnum – P. congestum – P. conjunctum – P. consimile – P. copelandii – P. costularisorum – P. craspedosorum – P. crassinervium – P. crinigerum – P. crinulosum – P. cuneatiforme – P. cuneatum – P. cyclolobum – P. cystostegium
D

P. daguanense – P. dangii – P. decoratum – P. deflexum – P. deltatum – P. deltodon – P. deminuens – P. diaphanum – P. dielsii – P. diffundens – P. discretum – P. disjunctum – P. distans – P. dmitrievae – P. dracomontanum – P. drepanum – P. dubium – P. dudleyi – P. duthiei – P. duyunense
E

P. echinatum – P. elevatovenosum – P. elmeri – P. eriorachis – P. erosum – P. erythrosorum – P. exauriforme – P. excellens – P. excelsius
F

P. falcatilobum – P. falcinellum – P. fallax – P. faucicola – P. fengshanense – P. fibrillosopaleaceum – P. filiorum – P. fimbriatum – P. flaccidum – P. flemingii – P. fominii – P. formosanum – P. formosum – P. fournieri – P. fraxinellum – P. fuentesii – P. fugongense – P. fujisanense – P. furfuraceum – P. fuscum
G

P. gejiuense – P. gelidum – P. gemmilachenense – P. giganteum – P. glaciale – P. grandifrons – P. guadalupense – P. guajaibonense – P. guangxiense – P. gymnocarpium
H

P. hagenahii – P. hagiangense – P. hainanicola – P. hakonense – P. haleakalense – P. hancockii – P. hanmengqii – P. harpophyllum – P. harrisii – P. hartwegii – P. hastipinnum – P. hecatopterum – P. herbaceum – P. hillebrandii – P. hitoyoshiense – P. hokurikuense – P. holttumii – P. hookerianum – P. houchangense – P. huashanicola – P. hubeiense
I

P. ichangense – P. igaense – P. iidanum – P. illyricum – P. imbricans – P. inadae – P. inayatii – P. incisopinnulum – P. incongruum – P. integrilobum – P. integripinnum – P. izuense
J

P. jamunae – P. jinfoshanense – P. jitaroi – P. jiucaipingense – P. jiulaodongense
K

P. kadyrovii – P. kai-montanum – P. kalambatitrense – P. kasayamense – P. kenwoodii – P. keysserianum – P. kilimanjaricum – P. kinabaluense – P. kiyozumianum – P. kruckebergii – P. kumamontanum – P. kungianum – P. kunioi – P. kuratae – P. kurokawae – P. kwakiutlii – P. kwangtungense
L

P. lachenense – P. lanceolatum – P. lancilobum – P. langchungense – P. laniceps – P. lehmannii – P. lemmonii – P. lentum – P. lepidocaulon – P. lepidotum – P. lesliei – P. leveillei – P. levingei – P. liboense – P. lilianae – P. lindsaeifolium – P. lineare – P. liui – P. lonchitiforme – P. lonchitis – P. longecuspis – P. longifrons – P. longipaleatum – P. longispinosum – P. longissimum – P. loratum – P. luctuosum – P. × luerssenii – P. luteoviride
M

P. machaerophyllum – P. macleaii – P. maderense – P. maevaranense – P. magnificum – P. makinoi – P. malipoense – P. manickamianum – P. manmeiense – P. marionense – P. marquesense – P. martinii – P. mashikoi – P. maximum – P. mayebarae – P. mehrae – P. meijerdreesii – P. mengziense – P. mexiae – P. meyeri – P. mickelii – P. microchlamys – P. microlepis – P. midoriense – P. minamitanii – P. minimum – P. minutissimum – P. miuranum – P. mohrioides – P. moluccense – P. montevidense – P. monticola – P. moorei – P. mucrolentum – P. mucronifolium – P. muenchii – P. multifidum – P. mulunense – P. munitum – P. muricatum – P. muscicola – P. muticum
N

P. namegatae – P. nanchuanicum – P. nayongense – P. neolobatum – P. neozelandicum – P. nepalense – P. ningshenense – P. normale – P. nudicaule
O

P. obai – P. oblanceolatum – P. obliquum – P. oblongipinnarum – P. oblongum – P. obtusum – P. oculatum – P. ohmurae – P. ohtanii – P. okanum – P. ongataense – P. orbiculatum – P. ordinatum – P. oreodoxa – P. otomasui – P. otophorum – P. ovatopaleaceum
P

P. paleatum – P. palniense – P. papuanum – P. paradeltodon – P. paramicola – P. paramoupinense – P. parvifoliolatum – P. parvipinnulum – P. pauciaculeatum – P. peishanii – P. perpusillum – P. phulchowkiense – P. piceopaleaceum – P. pilosum – P. pingbianense – P. plaschnickianum – P. platylepis – P. platyphyllum – P. plicatum – P. polyblepharum – P. polyodon – P. polyphyllum – P. potteri – P. prescottianum – P. prionolepis – P. proliferum – P. pseudoacutidens – P. pseudobraunii – P. pseudolanceolatum – P. pseudolentum – P. pseudomakinoi – P. pseudomicrophyllum – P. pseudoparvipinnulum – P. pseudosemifertile – P. pseudosetosum – P. pseudostenophyllum – P. pseudotsus-simense – P. punctiferum – P. pungens – P. puteicola – P. putuoense – P. pycnolepis – P. pycnopterum
Q

P. quangbinhense
R

P. rachichlaena
P. rapense – P. rectum – P. retrosopaleaceum – P. revolutum – P. rhizophorum – P. rhizophyllum – P. rigens – P. robustum – P. rochaleanum – P. rufopaleaceum – P. rufum – P. rupestris – P. rupicola
S

P. safarovii – P. saltum – P. sanchezii – P. sarukurense – P. saxicola – P. scariosum – P. schizophyllum – P. scopulinum – P. semifertile – P. setiferum – P. setigerum – P. setillosum – P. shandongense – P. shensiense – P. shimurae – P. shin-tashiroi – P. shizuokaense – P. silvaticum – P. silviamontanum – P. simile – P. sinense – P. sinotsus-simense – P. sodiroi – P. solomonii – P. speciosissimum – P. speluncicola – P. spongiosum – P. squarrosum – P. stewartii – P. stimulans – P. stokesii – P. stuebelii – P. subacutidens – P. subdeltodon – P. subfimbriatum – P. subinerme – P. subintegerrimum – P. submarginale – P. submite – P. submucronatum – P. subtripteron – P. subulatum – P. suginoi – P. superum – P. suyamanum
T

P. tagawanum – P. taizhongense – P. takakii – P. takaosanense – P. talamancanum – P. tangmaiense – P. tarebhirense – P. tenuius – P. tetragonum – P. tetsuyamense – P. thomsonii – P. tiandengense – P. tiankengicola – P. tijucense – P. titibuense – P. tokyoense – P. tonkinense – P. tortuosum – P. transkeiense – P. transvaalense – P. trapezoides – P. trapezoideum – P. triangulum – P. tridens – P. tripteron – P. tsaratananense – P. turrialbae
U

P. uahukaense – P. underwoodii – P. uniseriale – P. utsumii
V

P. vestitum – P. viviparum – P. volkensii – P. vulcanicum
W

P. walkerae – P. wattii – P. wawranum – P. weimingii – P. whiteleggii – P. wilesianum – P. wirtgenii – P. woodsioides – P. woronowii – P. wrightii – P. wulingshanense
X

P. xichouense – P. xiphophyllum
Y

P. yaanense – P. yaeyamense – P. yokohamense – P. yuanum – P. yunnanense
Z

P. zambesiacum – P. zayuense – P. zhijinense
Source(s) of checklist:

Name

Polystichum Roth, Tent. Fl. Germ. 3(1): 31, 69 (1799).

Type species: Polypodium lonchitis L.: Lectotype designated by Schott, Gen. Fil. (1834).
Type species: Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth ex Mert.: Lectotype designated by J. Smith, Hist. Fil. 217 (1875).

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Acropelta Nakai, Bull. Natl. Sci. Mus. Tokyo 33: 5 (1953).
Aetopteron Ehrh. ex House, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 6: 207 (1920).
Cyrtogonellum Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol., Bot. 8: 327 (1938).
Cyrtomidictyum Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol., Bot. 10: 182 (1940).
Hemesteum H.Lév., Fl. Kouy-Tchéou: 496 (1915).
Hemigonum J.Sm., Hist. Fil.: 204 (1875).
Hypopeltis Michx., Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 226 (1803).
Papuapteris C.Chr., Brittonia 2: 300 (1937).
Plecosorus Fée, Mém. Foug., 5. Gen. Filic.: 150 (1852).
Porpaea C.Presl ex Ettingsh., Farnkr. 174 (1865).
Sorolepidium Christ, Bot. Gaz. 51: 350 (1911).
Polystichum sect. Sorolepidium (Christ) Tagawa, Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 9: 122 (1940).

References
Primary references

Roth, A.W. 1799–1800. Tentamen Florae Germanicae; continens enumerationem plantarum in Germania sponte nascentium. Vol 3. viii + 578 pp., Lipsiae [Leipzig]: in Bibliopolio I.G. Mülleriano. BHL Reference page. (3(1): 31, 69–70)

Additional references

Zhang, L.-B. 2012. Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on the fern genus Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae) in China. Phytotaxa 60: 57–60. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.60.1.8 Paywall Reference page.
Lu, N.T., Zhang, L. & Zhang, L.-B. 2014. Ten new records of Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae) for Vietnam and lectotypification of Polystichum atroviridissimum and P. fimbriatum. Phytotaxa 164(2): 115–123. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.164.2.5 Paywall Preview PDF Reference page.

Links

Hassler, M. 2020. Polystichum – World Ferns: Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World . In: Roskov Y., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., De Wever A., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J. & Penev L. (eds.) 2020. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Apr 04.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Polystichum in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Apr 04. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Polystichum. Published online. Accessed: Apr 04 2020.
Tropicos.org 2020. Polystichum. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 04 Apr 2020.

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Schildfarne
suomi: Härkylät
Nederlands: Naaldvaren
norsk: Taggbregneslekten
polski: Paprotnik

Polystichum is a genus of ferns in the family Dryopteridaceae, subfamily Dryopteridoideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I).[1] The genus has about 500 species and has a cosmopolitan distribution.[1][3] The highest diversity is in eastern Asia, with about 208 species in China alone;[3] the region from Mexico to Brazil has at least 100 additional species; Africa (at least 17 species), North America (at least 18 species), and Europe (at least 5 species) have much lower diversity. Polystichum species are terrestrial or rock-dwelling ferns of warm-temperate and montane-tropical regions (a few species grow in alpine regions). They are often found in disturbed habitats such as road cuts, talus slopes, and stream banks.[4]
Description

Many ferns of this genus have stout, slowly creeping rootstocks that form a crown, with a vase-like ring of evergreen fronds 30 to 200 centimetres (10 to 80 in) long. The sori are round, with a circular indusium, except in South American species which lack an indusium.[5] The stipes have prominent scales with often have hair-like cilia, but lack any true hairs.[5] The genus differs from the well-known and allied fern genus Dryopteris in the indusium being circular, not reniform, and in having the leaf segments with auricles—asymmetrical blades where one side of the segment is much longer than the other at the base.
Apomixis

Apomixis, the development of an embryo without the occurrence of fertilization, is particularly common among ferns. Apomixis evolved several times independently in three different clades of polystichoid ferns.[6]
Taxonomy

Polystichum is one of the 10 largest fern genera and is grouped within the Dryopteridaceae.[7] Polystichum s.l. is well defined as its own monophyletic group, including species from the genera Cyrtomidictyum, Cyrtogonellum, Cyrtomium, and Phanerophlebia.[8] Research concerning taxonomy within Polystichum s.s. is ongoing, with high levels of hybridization, allopolyploidy, and apomixis making distinctions difficult.[9] Based on genetic analysis Little & Barrington (2003) originally defined a monophyletic Polystichum s.s. by removing Cyrtomium as its own genus.[4] It was further separated by Li et al. (2008) into a separate clade along with Phanerophlebia.[10]
Selected species

The genus has a large number of species. The PPG I classification suggested that there were about 500 species;[1] as of February 2020, the Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World listed 397 species and 58 hybrids, noting that "many undescribed species remain".[11] The genus Polystichum includes, but is not limited to, the following species. In this list, a species name preceded by (=) is considered to be a synonym of the accepted species name above it.

Polystichum acanthophyllum (Franch.) H. Christ
Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott – Christmas fern
Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth ex Mert. – Hard shield fern
Polystichum acutidens H.Christ
Polystichum acutipinnulum Ching & K.H.Shing
(=) Polystichum wuyishanense Ching & K.H.Shing
Polystichum alcicorne (Baker) Diels
Polystichum aleuticum C.Chr. – Aleutian shield fern
Polystichum andersonii Hopkins – Anderson's hollyfern[12]
Polystichum atkinsonii Bedd.
Polystichum australiense Tindale
Polystichum bakerianum (Atk. ex C.B.Clarke) Diels
Polystichum biaristatum (Blume) T.Moore
Polystichum bomiense Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum bonapartii Rosenst.
Polystichum bonseyi W.H.Wagner & Hobdy[13] – Bonsey's Hollyfern[14]
Polystichum brachypterum (J.F.Gmel.) C.Chr. – Rusty swordfern[15]
Polystichum braunii (Spenner) Fée – Braun's shield fern, Braun's hollyfern[16]
Polystichum brachypterum (Kunze) Ching[17]
(=) Polystichum garhwalicum N.C.Nair & Nag
Polystichum bulbiferum Barrington
Polystichum calderonense Proctor – Monte Guilarte hollyfern
Polystichum californicum Diels – California sword fern
Polystichum capillipes (Baker) Diels[18]
(=) Polystichum michelii H.Christ
(=) Polystichum minusculum H.Christ
(=) Polystichum molliculum H.Christ
Polystichum castaneum (C.B.Clarke) B.K.Nayar & S.Kaur
Polystichum chilense (H.Chr.) Diels
Polystichum christii Ching
Polystichum chunii Ching
Polystichum craspedosorum (Maxim.) Diels
Polystichum cyclolobum C.Chr.
Polystichum cystostegia (Hook.) J.B.Armstr. – Alpine shield fern
Polystichum deltodon (Baker) Diels
Polystichum dielsii H.Christ
Polystichum discretum (D.Don) J.Sm.
Polystichum drepanum (Sw.) C.Presl
Polystichum dudleyi Maxon – Dudley's sword fern
Polystichum duthiei (C.Hope) C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum tsuchuense Ching
Polystichum echinatum (J.F.Gmel.) C.Chr. – Rusty swordfern[19]
Polystichum erosum Ching
Polystichum excellens Ching
Polystichum eximium (Mett. ex Kuhn) C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum tialooshanense Ching
Polystichum falcatipinnum Hayata
Polystichum falcinellum C.Presl
Polystichum fallax Tindale
Polystichum formosanum Rosenst.
Polystichum glandulosum C.Presl
Polystichum gongboense Ching & S.K.Wu
(=) Polystichum rarum Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum grandifrons C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum kiusiuense Tagawa[20]
Polystichum gymnocarpium Ching ex W.M.Chu & Z.R.He 2001
Polystichum haleakalense Brack. – Island swordfern[21]
Polystichum hancockii (Hance) Diels
Polystichum hecatopteron Diels
Polystichum herbaceum Ching & Z.Y.Liu
Polystichum imbricans (D.C. Eaton) D.H.Wagner – Narrowleaf sword fern
Polystichum incongruum J.P. Roux
Polystichum kruckebergii W.H.Wagner – Kruckeberg's sword fern/holly fern
Polystichum kwakiutlii D.H.Wagner
Polystichum lachenense (Hook.) Bedd.
Polystichum lanceolatum Baker
Polystichum lemmonii Underw. – Lemmon's holly fern, Shasta fern
Polystichum lentum (D. Don) T. Moore
Polystichum lonchitis (L.) Roth – Holly fern
Polystichum longidens Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum longipaleatum H.Christ
Polystichum longipes Maxon
Polystichum luctuosum (Kunze) T. Moore – Mourning shield fern
Polystichum macleae (Baker) Diels[22]
Polystichum macrochlaenum Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum makinoi (Tagawa) Tagawa
Polystichum martini H.Christ
Polystichum mayebarae Tagawa
Polystichum mediocre Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum medogense Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum microchlamys (H.Christ) Matsum.
Polystichum mohrioides (Bory ex Willd.) C.Presl
Polystichum mollissimum Ching[23]
Polystichum monticola N.C.Anthony & Schelpe – Mountain shield fern
Polystichum moorei H.Christ
Polystichum morii Hayata
Polystichum moupinense (Franch.) Bedd.
(=) Polystichum woodsioides H.Christ
Polystichum munitum (Kaulf.) C. Presl – Western sword fern
(=) Polystichum solitarium (Maxon) Underw. ex Maxon
Polystichum muricatum (L.) Fée
(=) Polystichum moritzianum (Klotzsch) Hieron.
Polystichum nakenense Ching[24]
Polystichum neolobatum Nakai[25]
(=) Polystichum assurgens Ching & S.K. Wu
(=) Polystichum yigongense Ching & S.K. Wu
Polystichum nepalense (Spreng.) C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum atroviridissimum Hayata
Polystichum ningshenense Ching & Y.P.Hsu
Polystichum obliquum (D.Don.) T.Moore
Polystichum omeiense C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum carvifolium (Baker) Diels
Polystichum ordinatum (Kunze) Liebm.
(=) Polystichum bicolor A.R.Sm.[26]
Polystichum orientalitibeticum Ching
Polystichum paramoupinense Ching
Polystichum parvipinnulum Tagawa
Polystichum piceopaleaceum Tagawa
Polystichum polyblepharum (Roem. ex Kunze) C.Presl – Tassel fern
(=) Polystichum aculeatum var. japonicum (Franch. & Sav.) Diels
(=) Polystichum setosum (Wall.) Schott
Polystichum prescottianum (Wall. ex Mett.) T. Moore
(=) Polystichum erinaceum Ching & S.K.Wu[27]
Polystichum prionolepis Hayata
(=) Polystichum rectipinnum Hayata
Polystichum proliferum – Mother shield fern
Polystichum pseudocastaneum Ching & S.K.Wu
(=) Polystichum brunneum Ching & S.K.Wu[28]
Polystichum pseudomakinoi Tagawa
Polystichum punctiferum C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum glingense Ching & Y.X.Ling
(=) Polystichum virescens Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum pungens (Kaulf.) C.Presl – Forest shield fern
(=) Polystichum lucidum (Burm.f.) Bech.
Polystichum qamdoense Ching & S.K.Wu
(=) Polystichum tumbatzense Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum retrosopaleaceum (Kodama) Tagawa
(=) Polystichum aculeatum var. retrosopaleaceum Kodama
Polystichum rhombiforme Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum rhomboidea (Schott) Ching
(=) Polystichum rhomboideum Schott
Polystichum richardii (Hook.) J.Sm. – Common shield fern
Polystichum rigens Tagawa
(=) Polystichum platychlamys Ching
Polystichum rotundilobum Ching
Polystichum scopulinum (D.C. Eaton) Maxon – Mountain holly fern, rock sword fern
(=) Polystichum mohrioides var. scopulinum (D.C. Eaton) Fernald
Polystichum semifertile (C.B. Clarke) Ching
(=) Polystichum nyalamense Ching
Polystichum setiferum (Forssk.) Moore ex Woyn. – Soft shield fern
(=) Polystichum angulare (Willd.) C. Presl
Polystichum setigerum (C. Presl) C. Presl – Alaska hollyfern[29]
Polystichum shensiense H. Christ
(=) Polystichum lichiangense (C.H. Wright) Ching ex H.S. Kung[30]
Polystichum silvaticum (Colenso) Diels
Polystichum simplicipinnum Hayata
Polystichum sinense (H.Christ) H.Christ[31]
(=) Polystichum atuntzeense Ching
(=) Polystichum austrotibeticum Ching & S.K.Wu
(=) Polystichum decorum Ching & S.K.Wu
(=) Polystichum ellipticum Ching & S.K.Wu
(=) Polystichum fukuyamae Tagawa
(=) Polystichum lhasaense Ching
(=) Polystichum parasinense Cheng-yuan Yang
(=) Polystichum wilsoni H.Christ
Polystichum squarrosum (D.Don) Fée
(=) Polystichum apicisterile Ching & S.K.Wu[32]
(=) Polystichum integripinnulum Ching[33]
Polystichum stenophyllum H.Christ
var. conaense (=) Polystichum conaense Ching & S.K.Wu[34]
Polystichum stimulans (Kunze ex Mett.) Bedd.
(=) Polystichum ilicifolium (D. Don) T. Moore[35]
Polystichum submite (H. Christ) Diels
(=) Polystichum paradoxum Ching & Y.P.Hsu
Polystichum tacticopterum (Kunze) T. Moore
(=) Polystichum heteropaleaceum N.C. Nair & Nag[36]
(=) Polystichum kodamae Tagawa[37]
Polystichum thomsoni (Hook.f.) Bedd.
Polystichum tibeticum Ching
Polystichum transvaalense N.C.Anthony – Stemmed shield fern
Polystichum tripteron (Kunze) C.Presl
Polystichum tsus-simense (Hook.) J.Sm. – Korean rock fern
(=) Polystichum falcilobum Ching
Polystichum vestitum (G.Forst.) C.Presl – Prickly shield fern
Polystichum wattii (Bedd.) C.Chr.
Polystichum whiteleggei Watts
Polystichum xiphophyllum (Baker) Diels[38]
(=) Polystichum monotis (H.Christ) C.Chr.
(=) Polystichum praelongum H.Christ
Polystichum yadongense Ching & S.K.Wu
Polystichum yunnanense H.Christ
(=) Polystichum gyirongense Ching[39]
(=) Polystichum jizhushanense Ching[40]

Polystichum munitum
Hybrids

Hybridisation is frequent in the genus, with several named hybrids, including:-

P. × bicknellii (P. aculeatum × P. setiferum)
P. × illyricum (P. aculeatum × P. lonchitis)
P. × lonchitiforme (P. lonchitis × P. setiferum)
P. × lesliei (P. setiferum × P. munitum) first found in Surrey in 1995 and a second plant found in Cornwall in 2001.[41]

Former species

Species that were at one time considered part of the genus Polystichum, but are now categorized elsewhere, include:

Polystichum auriculatum (L.) C.Presl 1836 = Dryopteris auriculata (L.) Kuntze 1891[42]
Polystichum falcatum (L.f.) Diels 1899 = Cyrtomium falcatum (L.f.) C.Presl[43] – Japanese Holly Fern
Polystichum lepidocaulon (Hook.) J.Sm. 1866 = Cyrtomidictyum lepidocaulon (Hook.) Ching 1940[44]

Distribution

With species in six continents and many islands, Polystichum is remarkable for its global spread. Polystichum ferns first emerged in Asia during the late Eocene, around 49 million years ago.[3] During this period there were high temperatures across the globe, which may have contributed to the diversification of flora.[45]

Polystichum's spread to the New World took place during the late Eocene to early Oligocene. The most likely dispersal method was across a paratropical forest on a Pacific Ocean land bridge, such as the Bering Land Bridge.[3] For a period before the height of the Ice Age temperatures froze enough seawater to lower the sea level but still allowed a forest to grow in Northern latitudes. From there Polystichum was able to spread through North American and into Central America.

Original theories described Polystichum spreading further into South America from Central America, but recent research has shown that South American Polystichum instead spread through long-distance dispersal from Australia. Genetic study has revealed close evolutionary relationships between Polystichum species in these two areas. Both Austral and Austral South American species lack and indusium. Austral Polystichum lack cilia, while South American species have marginal cilia.[46]

Hawaiian Polystichum also spread through long-distance dispersal, with two separate dispersal events leading to the three Polystichum now observed in Hawaii.[9]
Ecology

Polystichum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Pharmacis fusconebulosa. Specimens of some of these can be found at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.
Cultivation

Several species are grown as ornamental plants in gardens, notably P. setiferum. One species, P. tsus-simense of eastern Asia, is commonly offered as a houseplant.
References

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