Dryopteris

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Filicophyta

Class: Leptosporangiopsida

Order: Filicales

Family: Polypodiaceae

Genus: Dryopteris

Common name: Fern

Distinguishing character

Young leaf shows circinate vernation covered with ramenta, homosporous sporangia aggregated into the serum. Gametophytic prothallus is independent, monoecious and artificially heart shaped.

Occurrence

Dryopteris is found in moist, shady, terrestrial habitat in north temperature, subtropical and tropical region. It is represented by 250 species.

Sporophyte

The sporophytic plant body is dominant which is differentiated into root, stem, and leaf.

Root

Adventitious root develops from the basal part of the rhizome. Root is branched having root hairs and root cap, absorption, and fixation.

Stem

Rhizome is underground, thick, fleshy, branched or unbranched. It is covered with ramenta.

Leaf

Leaf is petiolate, exstipulate and pinnately compound. Young leaves show circinate vernation. There is the presence of pinnae on both sides of rachis. Pinnae further divide into the small segment known as pinnule.