in Sri Lanka - Ministry of Environment

TaxonomyThe present knowledge of ptridophytes is largely based on Shaffer-Fehre (2006) which ismainly based on morphology and specimens of existing herbarium collections rather than newinformation. It has been prepared during 1993-1995 period but published in 2006. However,with the advancement of plant molecular studies, taxonomic status of many fern species havechanged and many revisions have been made. On the other hand, recently an extensivefield survey of South Indian fern flora has been carried out, though such information has notbeen widely published yet. Recent review of endemic pteridophyte flora in Sri Lanka parallelto information generated through South Indian survey via personal communication revealedthat the changes of number of endemic taxa from 50 (Shaffer-Fehre, 2006) to 44 (Ranil etal., in prep.). All these indicated the need of a systematic review of the taxonomy of SriLankan pteridophytes based on detailed field works and existing herbarium collections andalso considering with advances of taxonomy and systematics due to molecular studies onpteridophytes. For the red listing process, except for three families, namely Aspleniaceae,Cyatheaceae and Thelypteridaceae (where there is no agreement among pteridologists toplace Sri Lankan species within families, hence followed Shaffer-Fehre (2006), all specieshave been arranged based on the linear sequence of extant families and genera of lycophytesand ferns proposed by Christenhusz et al., (2011). Changes of genera and families accordingto Christenhusz et al. (2011) are given in Table 1.Table 1: Changes of genera and families based on recent classification proposed byChristenhusz et al. (2011).TaxaFlora of Ceylon (2006) byShaffer-Fehre (2006)Redlist (2012) based on Christenhuszet al. (2011)GeneraAntrophyum Vittariaceae PteridaceaeArthropteris Oleandraceae TectariaceaeAthyrium Woodsiaceae AthyriaceaeBolbitis Lomariopsidaceae DryopteridaceaeCeratopteris Parkeriaceae PteridaceaeDeparia Woodsiaceae AthyriaceaeDiplazium Woodsiaceae AthyriaceaeElaphoglossum Lomariopsidaceae DryopteridaceaeHypodematium Woodsiaceae HypodematiaceaeLeucostegia Davalliaceae HypodematiaceaeLindsaea Dennstaedtiaceae LindsaeaceaeLoxogramme Loxogrammaceae PolypodiaceaeLygodium Schizaeaceae LygodiaceaeMonogramma Vittariaceae PteridaceaeNephrolepis Oleandraceae NephrolepidaceaePteridrys Dryopteridaceae TectariaceaeSphenomeris Dennstaedtiaceae LindsaeaceaeTectaria Dryopteridaceae TectariaceaeTeratophyllum Lomariopsidaceae DryopteridaceaeVittaria Vittariaceae PteridaceaeFamilyGrammitidaceae Grammitidaceae Polypodiaceae149