Leptopteris
The Leptopteris is a small genus of ferns native to the New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. They are similar to ferns in the related genus Todea, and were originally included in that genus. However, the very thin fronds of Leptopteris differ from the thick leathery fronds of Todea, and the genera are considered distinct. A probable extinct species, Leptopteris estipularis is known from the Early Cretaceous of India.
Species
There are seven living species and one naturally occurring interspecific hybrid.Leptopteris alpina C.Chr. – New Guinea and Seram- †Leptopteris estipularis Bomfleur, Grimm & McLoughlinLeptopteris fraseri – eastern New South Wales and northeastern QueenslandLeptopteris hymenophylloides – New Zealand and the Chatham Islands
- Leptopteris × intermedia Gower – New ZealandLeptopteris laxa Copeland – Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Islands
- †Leptopteris minuta RomanovskajaLeptopteris moorei Christ – Lord Howe IslandLeptopteris superba – New ZealandLeptopteris wilkesiana – Fiji, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Samoan Islands, and Vanuatu