From the Greek aggeion (angion, a vessel) and pteris (a fern), in reference to the sporangia.

Angiopteris evecta (G.Forst.) Hoffm.

Large ferns. Stem short and erect, obscured by massive persistent leaf bases (stipules) forming a 'rootstock' up to 2 m high. Leaves clustered, up to 7 m long, 1- or 2-pinnate. Veins free, generally simple or once-forked at base. Most species with conspicuous fibre bundles ('recurrent false veins') between and parallel with main lateral veins. Sori along lateral veins, superficial, submarginal, exindusiate but often with a conspicuous mass of receptacular uniseriate multicellular branched hairs, composed of a double row or ring of sporangia. Spores globose and trilete; exospore ornamentation of warts or simple or multifurcate short spines.

For more detailed Angiopteris genus description see Murdock (2008b: 751).

2n = 80, 160; see Murdock (2008b: 751) for references and details.

A genus of c. 200 poorly described species from the Palaeotropics (excluding mainland Africa, but including Madagascar and the Mascarenes), recently naturalised in Jamaica (Camus 1998: 111); c. 10–30 species, fide Murdock (2008b: 751), who reports "species delimitation in Angiopteris varies widely, with counts ranging from 1 polymorphic species to over 200 poorly defined species."

Extensive fieldwork with accurate and detailed notes on living plants is needed to resolve the taxonomy of this genus. Angiopteris is sometimes placed in the family Angiopteridaceae (e.g. Andrews 1990: 16).

Andrews, S.B. (1990). Ferns of Queensland. (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane).

Bailey, F.M. (1874). Handbook to the Ferns of Queensland.

Camus, J.M. (1990). Marattiaceae, in Kramer K.U. & Green, P.S. (eds), The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants 1: 174–180. (Springer Verlag: Berlin).

Camus, J.M. (1998). Marattiaceae, in McCarthy, P.M. (ed.), Flora of Australia 48: 109–112. (ABRS: Canberra/CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood).

Christenhusz, M.J.M., Zhang, X.C. & Schneider, H. (2011). A linear sequence of extant families and genera of lycophytes and ferns. Phytotaxa 19(1): 7–54.

Field, A.R. (2020). Classification and typification of Australian lycophytes and ferns based on Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification PPG I. Australian Systematic Botany 33(1): 1–102.

Holttum, R.E. (1978). The morphology and taxonomy of Angiopteris (Marattiaceae) with description of a new species. Kew Bulletin 32(3): 587–594.

Jones, D.L. & Clemesha, S.C. (1981). Australian Ferns and Fern Allies 2nd edn. (Reed: Frenchs Forest).

Murdock, A.G. (2008a). Phylogeny of marattioid ferns (Marattiaceae): inferring a root in the absence of a closely related outgroup. American Journal of Botany 95(6): 626–641.

Murdock, A.G. (2008b). A taxonomic revision of the eusporangiate fern family Marattiaceae, with description of a new genus Ptisana. Taxon 57(3): 737–755.

Short, P., Dixon, D. & Osterkamp Madsen, M. (2003). A review of the ferns and fern allies of the Northern Territory. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 19(3): 7–80.

Spencer, R. (1995). Marattiaceae, in Ferns, Conifers & Their Allies, Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia 1: 95–96. (University of New South Wales Press: Sydney).

Wilson, P.G. (1990). Marattiaceae, in Harden, G.J. (ed.), Flora of New South Wales 1: 19. (New South Wales University Press: Kensington).

Revised edition, 3 May 2022. Adapted from Camus (1998). Updated by P.G. Kodela (May 2022).