Mycopteris
Mycopteris is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Grammitidoideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016. It is known from the American tropics.
Description
Most members of the genus are epiphytes, although some grow on soil or on rocks.Taxonomy
The genus was first described by Michael Sundue in 2014 to receive some of the species of the genus Terpsichore. When that genus was described by Alan R. Smith in 1993, he divided it into five informal groups. Subsequent morphological and molecular studies showed that while Terpsichore was polyphyletic, its groups were largely monophyletic and could furnish the basis of new genera. These genera were described over the next several years; Sundue's new genus Mycopteris, encompassing the T. taxifolia group, was the last group to be removed from Terpsichore sensu lato.The name "Mycopteris" is derived from the Greek roots myco-, "fungus", and -pteris, "fern", referring to the near-universal association of these ferns with the ascomycete fungus Acrospermum. Sundue initially placed seventeen species in the genus, one of which was newly described and another elevated from a variety. He suggested that another five to ten species might be described after the completion of a monograph on the genus. In 2017, he described a new species, Mycopteris martiniana, from Mexico.
Species
, the Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World accepted the following eighteen species:- Mycopteris alsopteris Sundue
- Mycopteris amphidasyon Sundue
- Mycopteris attenuatissima Sundue
- Mycopteris costaricensis Sundue
- Mycopteris cretata Sundue
- Mycopteris grata Sundue
- Mycopteris leucolepis Sundue
- Mycopteris leucosticta Sundue
- Mycopteris longicaulis Sundue
- Mycopteris longipilosa Sundue
- Mycopteris martiniana Sundue
- Mycopteris pirrensis Sundue
- Mycopteris praeceps Sundue
- Mycopteris semihirsuta Sundue
- Mycopteris steyermarkii Sundue
- Mycopteris subtilis Sundue
- Mycopteris taxifolia Sundue
- Mycopteris zeledoniana Sundue