Aspidium
Aspidium filix-mas
Scientific classification
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Genus:
Aspidium

Sw. 1801
Species

See text.

Aspidium Sw. is a fern genus in the Dryopteridaceae (wood fern) family. Although the genus name itself it is now generally considered to be obsolete and a synonym for Tectaria Cav. (in the Tectariaceae family),[1] Aspidium's former species have been placed in several other families and genera.

The name aspidium is also used in referring to a medicine, usually in the form of an oleoresin extract, containing filicin, made from the rhizomes and stipes of certain former Aspidium species such as Dryopteris filix-mas (male fern), and Dryopteris marginalis (marginal fern). These medicines have been used in the treatment of tapeworm infection, but their use is limited to otherwise-untreatable cases due to the toxicity of the medication. Safer drugs such as dichlorophen, niclosamide, and quinacrine are preferred.

Species edit

Most Aspidium species have been recategorized into other genera, including:[1]

in family Aspleniaceae Newman 1840 edit

in family Davalliaceae M.R. Schomb. ex A.B. Frank 1849: edit

  • genus Nephrolepis (Sw.) Schott 1834
    • Aspidium acuminatum Willd. 1810 =
      Aspidium acutum Schkuhr 1809 =
      Aspidium biserratum Sw. 1801 =
      Aspidium ensifolium Schkuhr 1806 =
      Aspidium guineense Schumach. 1829 =
      Aspidium punctulatum Sw. 1806 = Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott 1834
    • Aspidium cordifolium (L.) Sw. 1801 =
      Aspidium tuberosum Bory ex Willd. 1810 = Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C.Presl 1836
    • Aspidium exaltatum (L.) Sw.1801 = Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott 1834
    • Aspidium pectinatum Willd. 1810 = Nephrolepis pectinata (Willd.) Schott 1834
    • Aspidium pendulum Raddi 1819 = Nephrolepis pendula (Raddi) J.Sm. 1841
    • Aspidium sesquipedale Willd. 1810 = Nephrolepis rivularis (Vahl) Mett.ex Krug 1897
    • Aspidium undulatum Afzel.ex Sw. 1801 = Nephrolepis undulata (Afzel.ex Sw.) J.Sm. 1846

in family Dryopteridaceae edit

  • nothogenus × Pleuroderris Maxon 1934
    • Aspidium tatei (Baker) Diels 1899 = × Pleuroderris michleriana (D.C. Eaton) Maxon 1934

in family Elaphoglossaceae edit

in family Metaxyaceae Pic.Serm 1970 edit

in family Oleandraceae Ching ex Pic. Serm. 1965 edit

in family Tectariaceae Panigrahi 1986 edit

in family Thelypteridaceae Ching ex Pic. Serm. 1970 edit

not placed elsewhere edit

  • Aspidium abbreviatum Poir. 1816
  • Aspidium abbreviatum Schrad. 1824
  • Aspidium abortivum Blume 1828
  • Aspidium alfaroi H.Christ 1905
  • Aspidium cicutarium (L.) Sw.
  • Aspidium fraseri Mett.ex Kuhn
  • Aspidium karstenianum (Klotzsch) H.Christ
  • Aspidium nutans H.Christ
  • Aspidium prominulum H.Christ
  • Aspidium strigosum Willd.
  • Aspidium strigosum H.Christ
  • Aspidium subdecussatum H.Christ
  • Aspidium tatei (Baker) Diels

References edit

  1. ^ a b Aspidium Sw. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 25 Jan 2012
  2. ^ A. schimperianum Herbarium, University of Michigan 15 Feb 2012