The Fern ally reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Fern ally

Fern ally is a general term covering a somewhat diverse group of vascular plants that are not flowering plants and not true ferns. Like ferns, these plants reproduce by shedding spores to initiate an alternation of generations. There are four main groups of plants considered to be fern allies. In various classification schemes, these may be grouped as classes or divisions within the plant kingdom. The more traditional classification scheme is as follows:

• Kingdom: Plantae
  • Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)
    • Class Lycopsida, (fern-allies) the clubmosses and related plants
    • Class Sphenopsida (Equisetopsida), (fern-allies) the horsetails and scouring-rushes
    • Class Psilopsida, (fern-allies) the whisk ferns
    • Class Filices, the true ferns
    • Seed plants (Class Spermatopsida or sometimes as several different classes)

A newer classification scheme is:

• Kingdom Plantae
• Subkingdom Tracheobionta
  • Division Lycopodiophyta, fern-allies
    • Class Lycopodiopsida, the clubmosses
    • Class Selaginellopsida, the spikemosses
    • Class Isoëtopsida, the quillworts
  • Division Equisetophyta, the horsetails and scouring-rushes
  • Division Psilotophyta, the whisk ferns
  • Division Ophioglossophyta, the adders-tongues and moonworts
  • Division Pteridophyta, the ferns
  • Seed plants (Division Spermatophyta or several different divisions)

The Ophioglossophyta (Ophioglossopsida) were once thought to be ferns, but are now regarded by many to be distinct.

External links

• Common Ferns And Fern-Ally Species
• A Classification of the Ferns and Fern-Allies; uses frames

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