1. Anemia Swartz, Syn. Fil. 6, 155. 1806.
[Greek aneimon, without clothing, referring to the absence of blade protection for the sporangia]
John T. Mickel
Stems short-creeping, horizontal, clothed with dark hairs. Leaves partially dimorphic with sporangia restricted to erect, dissected, most proximal pair of pinnae arising from petiole just below sterile part of blade or leaves fully dimorphic and blade tissue lacking on fertile leaves. Blade 1--3-pinnate, papery to leathery. Veins free [anastomosing]. x = 38.
Species 117 (3 in the flora): tropical and subtropical regions, North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, 1 in Asia in s India, 10 in Africa.
Anemias are most abundant in Brazil (ca. 70 spp.) and have a secondary center of diversity in Mexico (20 spp.). They are limited in the flora to peninsular Florida and the Edwards Plateau, Texas. All 3 species belong to the calciphilic subgenus Anemiorrhiza .
SELECTED REFERENCES
Mickel, J. T. 1962. Monographic study of the fern genus Anemia subgenus Coptophyllum. Iowa State Coll. J. Sci. 36: 349--482. Mickel, J. T. 1981. The fern genus Anemia (Schizaeaceae) subgenus Anemiorrhiza. Brittonia 33: 413--429. Mickel, J. T. 1982. The genus Anemia (Schizaeaceae) in Mexico. Brittonia 34: 388--413. Walker, T. G. 1962. The Anemia adiantifolia complex in Jamaica. New Phytol. 61: 291--298.
