The ferns are an ancient lineage of plants, dating back to at least the Devonian. They include three living groups - Marattiales, Ophioglossales, and leptosporangiate ferns - as well as a couple of extinct groups.
Introduction to ferns from the Tree of Life project.
Next to the flowering plants, the leptosporangiate ferns are the most diverse group of living land plants. Estimates place their diversity at about 12,000 species in around 300 genera. This page is part of the tree of life phylogeny project.
Introduction to the systematics of the ferns, with family descriptions and images.
Includes a description of the fern life cycle, list of families and genera, and links to images of selected representatives.
List of all families and genera, with numbers of species and ranges.
Searchable database.
Small images of 39 antique prints by Thomas Moore, 1855.
Photographs and descriptions of the ferns of southern Florida.
A collection of images and information on ferns growing in the DC area.
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