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Glite Dictionary
Athyriaceae

Athyriaceae

9.9
A group of ferns sometimes treated as part of a larger fern family
  • noun
  • /ˌæθɪrɪˈeɪʃiˌi/
  • Specialized
: Athyriaceae
  • The Athyriaceae family includes several species commonly known as lady ferns.

Examples

  • Botanists debate whether Athyriaceae should be recognized as a separate family or included within Polypodiaceae.

  • The distribution of Athyriaceae spans temperate and tropical regions worldwide.

  • The Athyriaceae family includes many species of ferns.

  • Did you know that Athyriaceae ferns are often found in moist environments?

  • The Athyriaceae family includes several species commonly known as lady ferns.

  • Botanists debate whether Athyriaceae should be recognized as a separate family or included within Polypodiaceae.

  • Did you know that Athyriaceae ferns are often found in moist environments?

Surface Forms

Athyriaceae singular
Athyriaceae plural

Morphology

Athyriaceae = Athyrium (opaque) = Athyri + aceae

Formed from a genus name with a Latin family suffix and a stem change (Athyrium → Athyri- + -aceae), which is specialized botanical morphology not transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Athyriaceae comes from the fern name Athyrium plus the ending -aceae, which means 'family' in plant names, as in Rosaceae the 'rose family'. So Athyriaceae means 'the family of Athyrium', which is why it names that group of ferns.