Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 7, 2026

Lecanopteris

Lecanopteris is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Microsoroideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). They have swollen hollow rhizomes that provide homes for symbiotic ants. All are epiphytic plants that naturally occur from Southeast Asia to New Guinea. Several species are in commerce, being grown as houseplants and greenhouse curiosities.

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Aug 7, 2026
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Wikipedia ↗
Lecanopteris
Lecanopteris curtisii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Suborder: Polypodiineae
Family: Polypodiaceae
Subfamily: Microsoroideae
Genus: Lecanopteris
Reinw.
Species

See text.

Lecanopteris is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Microsoroideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I).1 They have swollen hollow rhizomes that provide homes for symbiotic ants. All are epiphytic plants that naturally occur from Southeast Asia to New Guinea.23 Several species are in commerce,4 being grown as houseplants and greenhouse curiosities.

Taxonomy

Phylogeny

The monophyletic genus Lecanopteris has been divided into two sub-genera, Lecanopteris and Myrmecopteris. All the species have rhizomes associated with ants. Subgenus Lecanopteris was monophyletic, and Myrmecopteris was paraphyletic.23 A 2019 molecular phylogenetic study suggested that the genus was related to three other clades, treated as genera, related as shown in the following cladogram.5

Lecanopteris s.l.

Bosmania

Dendroconche

Zealandia

Lecanopteris s.s.

As of February 2020, the Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World recognizes the segregate genera; other sources do not.

Species

The rhizome of Lecanopteris mirabilis source ↗

As of February 2020, the Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World recognized the following species in Lecanopteris s.s.6

  • Lecanopteris balgooyi Hennipman
  • Lecanopteris carnosa (Reinw.) Blume
  • Lecanopteris celebica Hennipman
  • Lecanopteris crustacea Copel.
  • Lecanopteris darnaedii Hennipman
  • Lecanopteris deparioides (Ces.) Baker
  • Lecanopteris holttumii Hennipman
  • Lecanopteris luzonensis Hennipman
  • Lecanopteris mirabilis Copel.
  • Lecanopteris pumila Blume
  • Lecanopteris sarcopus (Teijsm. & Binn.) Copel.
  • Lecanopteris sinuosa (Wall. ex Hook.) Copel.
  • Lecanopteris spinosa Jermy & T.Walker
References

References

  1. PPG I (2016), "A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns", Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 54 (6): 563–603, doi:10.1111/jse.12229, S2CID 39980610
  2. Gay, Honor (1993), "Rhizome structure and evolution in the ant-associated epiphytic fern Lecanopteris Reinw. (Polypodiaceae)", Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 113 (2): 135–160, doi:10.1006/bojl.1993.1068
  3. Haufler, Christopher H.; Grammer, W. Andrew; Hennipman, E.; Ranker, Tom A.; Smith, Alan R. & Schneider, Harald (2003), "Systematics of the Ant-Fern Genus Lecanopteris (Polypodiaceae): Testing Phylogenetic Hypotheses with DNA Sequences", Systematic Botany, 28 (2): 217–227, JSTOR 3093992
  4. Stuart, Tom (2009), "Polypods exposed" (PDF), Bulletin of the American Fern Society, 36 (2 & 3): 9–25, retrieved 2020-06-23
  5. Testo, Weston L.; Field, Ashley R.; Sessa, Emily B. & Sundue, Michael (2019), "Phylogenetic and Morphological Analyses Support the Resurrection of Dendroconche and the Recognition of Two New Genera in Polypodiaceae Subfamily Microsoroideae" (PDF), Systematic Botany, 44 (4): 737–752, doi:10.1600/036364419X15650157948607, S2CID 208176686, archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-02-13, retrieved 2020-02-11
  6. Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (January 2020), "Lecanopteris", Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World, Version 8.20, archived from the original on 2017-09-02, retrieved 2020-02-10