Pteridophyta: Schizaeales

Schizaeaceae - Comb ferns

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 lithophitic ferns. Rhizome subterranean, short-creeping, branched, with closely-spaced dimorphic fronds. Sterile frond lamina simple, narrowly linear, with a simple, central midrib, glabrous or spacely set with hairs, grass-like. Fertile frond very narrowly linear with a terminal, simple or dichotomously branched, comb-like structure. Sporangia in 2 rows, one on either side of each fertile pinna, homosporous.

Worldwide: 2 genera and c.30 species worldwide, pantropical distribution.

Zimbabwe: 1 genus and 2 taxa.

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

Genus	Content
Schizaea Sm.	Description, Image

Other sources of information about Schizaeaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Schizaeaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Schizaeaceae

External websites:

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