Athyriales

Taxobox
name = Lady fern
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Pteridophyta
classis = Pteridopsida
ordo = Athyriales
subdivision_ranks = Families
subdivision =
*Athyriaceae - Lady Fern Family
*Blechnaceae - Chain Fern Family
*Onocleaceae - Sensitive Fern Family
*Woodsiaceae - Cliff Fern Family
*Cystopteridaceae - Fragile Fern Family
*Thelypteridaceae - Female Fern Family

Athyriales is one of the largest orders of fern, including not only tropical species but many of the temperate ones as well. The classification as shown here is strongly supported by genetic evidence. The Athyriaceae and the Blechnaceae are especially close, as are the Onocleaceae and Woodsiaceae.

This order includes some important ferns, including the Sensitive fern, "Onoclea sensibilis", which grows as a virtual weed throughout much of its temperate North American range, and ferns of the genus "Thelypteris", a genus that has shown remarkable speciation. It also includes one of the more common horticultural ferns, the Ostrich fern, "Matteuccia struthiopteris".

Some authors include the Athyriales in a more broadly defined Polypodiales. [A. R. Smith, K. M. Pryer, E. Schuettpelz, P. Korall, H. Schneider, P. G. Wolf. 2006. "A classification for extant ferns". "Taxon" 55(3), 705-731 (pdf [http://www.pryerlab.net/publication/fichier749.pdf here] )]

References