Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World

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WorldFerns and WorldPlants are synonymic checklists of the vascular plants of the world (including ferns and lycophytes). The data set has been compiled – independently from other catalogues - over the last 40 years by starting from the basic data of the Kew Index and the Index Filicum. These names (initially over 1 million) have been subsequently cross-checked against local or regional floras, checklists, monographies and treatments. Large subsets of the database have been cross-checked by experts for certain groups. In the current status almost all names have been verified, and distribution data, newer checklists and/or floras are available for almost all countries and regions. Over the years, about 400,000 names have been added to the basic subset, leading to a total of 1,380,000 names for all families. Only a small subset (about 50,000 names) of mostly old, unverified and unassignable (“unplaced”) names have been deliberately omitted. Newly described taxa are added on a regular basis through data exchange with IPNI. Special attention is given to arranging the genera in correct phylogenetic sequence, by inclusion of the most important phylogenetic papers and monographies. The linear sequence of genera can be seen on the original website worldplants.de. As of 2023, almost all countries and regions have recent checklists or floras of reasonable quality and completeness, and over 90 % of geographical distribution is probably known. Some remaining large gaps have been closed by the recent completion of checklists for Brazil and India. Remaining regions with some data deficiencies are parts of Malesia and Central Africa (the two Congos), and for some states of former Yugoslavia the distribution is not yet fully broken down. WorldFerns is proud to be the main data source for the new Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group initiative “PPG-II”, starting 2023. Results from this continuing revision of the WorldFerns catalogue by almost 300 experts worldwide are subsequently back-integrated in the existing dataset and almost immediately available. Attention! The style of World Plants & World Ferns versions was changed in June 2024. The new style reflects the year and month of release. For example, version 24.6 of 2024-06-30 immediately follows version 19.3 of 2024-05-16.

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