Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Anemia mexicana Lygodium japonicum Lygodium palmatum Anemia adiantifolia Anemia wrightii	John Myers John Myers John Myers John Myers John Myers

Plants terrestrial. Stems branched, slender. Leaves often more than several meters, 2-pinnate or more divided, climbing by means of twining rachis; fertile pinnae borne toward apex of fertile leaves. Blades of short, alternate primary pinnae. Pinnules ± entire to palmately or pinnately lobed; fertile and sterile pinnae similar or fertile pinnae greatly contracted.

Distribution

Nearly worldwide, mostly tropical regions, a few species in temperate regions, North America, Asia in Japan, s Africa, Pacific Islands in New Zealand

Discussion

Species ca. 40 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

Beckner, J. 1968. Lygodium microphyllum, another fern escaped in Florida. Amer. Fern J. 58: 93-94.

Nauman, C. E. and D. F. Austin. 1978. Spread of the exotic fern Lygodium microphyllum in Florida. Amer. Fern J. 68: 65-66.

Nauman, C. E. 1987. Schizaeaceae in Florida. Sida 12: 69-74.

Lower Taxa

Lygodium japonicum, Lygodium microphyllum, Lygodium palmatum

Key

1	Pinnules palmately lobed, sterile tissue nearly absent on fertile lobes; petioles borne 1–4 cm apart.	Lygodium palmatum
1	Pinnules 1-pinnate to palmately lobed, sterile tissue present on fertile lobes; petioles borne less than 1 cm apart.	> 2
2	Pinnules usually 1-pinnate, primary divisions mostly undivided, usually without basal lobes; lobes absent or rounded, auriculate, not directed toward leaf apex; ultimate segments articulate to petiolules, leaving wiry stalks when detached; blade tissue glabrous abaxially.	Lygodium microphyllum
2	Pinnules usually more than 1-pinnate, primary divisions pinnately to palmately lobed or divided, or if undivided with distinct basal lobes; lobes directed toward leaf apex; ultimate segments not articulate to petiolules, not leaving wiry stalks when detached; blade tissue sparsely to moderately pubescent abaxially.	Lygodium japonicum