Phegopteris
Encyclopedia
Phegopteris is a genus
of fern
s known collectively as the Beech ferns. Traditionally this genus included only the first three species listed. However, recent genetic evidence clearly shows that the genera Macrothelypteris and Pseudophegopteris, as well as other segregates
from the genus Thelypteris
, are closely related to Phegopteris in a single clade
, and so are now included as Phegopteris species
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s known collectively as the Beech ferns. Traditionally this genus included only the first three species listed. However, recent genetic evidence clearly shows that the genera Macrothelypteris and Pseudophegopteris, as well as other segregates
Segregate (taxonomy)
In taxonomy, a segregate, or a segregate taxon is created when a taxon is split off, from another taxon. This other taxon will be better known, usually bigger, and will continue to exist, even after the segregate taxon has been split off...
from the genus Thelypteris
Thelypteris
Thelypteris is a genus of ferns in the family Thelypteridaceae. If the genus is defined fairly broadly, it contains 875 species, many of which are extremely similar to one another, and is found nearly worldwide. The ferns are terrestrial, with the exception of a few which are lithophytes...
, are closely related to Phegopteris in a single clade
Cladistics
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
, and so are now included as Phegopteris species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.