Family: Psilotaceae Fork Ferns
line
 
line
Fork fern sporophytes lack true roots, but have creeping subterranean rhizomes. They also lack true leaves but have a green photosynthetic stem containing vascular tissue xylem and phloem with scale-like leaves that lack vascular tissue.

Psilotaceae are represented in New Zealand by two genera, Psilotum (1 of) and Tmesipteris (4 of). Tmesipteris normally grow, as epiphytes on tree ferns, but are occasionally terrestrial, while Psilotum prefers warm ground and is common in thermal areas.		 
line
Psilotum
line

Psilotum nudum



  
line
Tmesipteris
line
Tmesipteris lanceolata
Tmesipteris elongata
Tmesipteris lanceolata
Tmesipteris lanceolata
Tmesipteris sigmatifolia
Tmesipteris sigmatifolia		Tmesipteris tannensis
Tmesipteris tannensis		 
line
Web Links
line
Intro to the Psilotales    
line
 
line
The Hidden Forest | Primitive Plants | Site MapUp