Marattia

Marattia is a small genus of primitive, large, fleshy ferns. It is the type genus of the family Marattiaceae. Formerly considered to be a much larger genus, recent genetic analysis by Murdock demonstrated its serious paraphyly, splitting off the genera Ptisana and Eupodium.^[1][2] Except for one species in Hawai'i, the genus is neotropical.

The plants are large and terrestrial, with more or less erect rhizomes and fronds being 2-5 times pinnate. Sporangia are fused into synangia, and spores are monolete.

Basal chromosome count is 2n=80. The type species is M. alata.

Species List

• Marattia alata Sw. – Jamaica and Cuba
• Marattia cicutifolia Kaulf. – southern Brazil
• Marattia douglasii (C. Presl) Baker – pala, kapua ilio, or Hawai'i potato fern; Hawai'i
• Marattia excavata Underw. – Mexico to Panama
• Marattia interposita Christ – Guatemala to Panama
• Marattia laxa Kunze – Mexico to Panama
• Marattia weinmanniifolia Liebm. – southern Mexico to El Salvador

References