Taenitis
Taenitis is a genus within the Adiantaceae family and consists of approximately 39 plants. Of which only 5 have been awarded species names, Taenitis has only one species within WA, the Taenitis pinnata.
Taenitis are described as being a "Priority 2" (P2) taxa which are not thought to be currently under threat due to lack of population information. As defined by Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation "These are taxa that are known from only a few (generally less than five) populations, some of which are not thought to be under immediate threat. They are candidates for declaration as rare flora, but are in need of further survey." This information can be found at http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/plants-and-animals/threatened-species-and-comm...
Specialized Environmental Conditions, Foreign Plant Invasion, Climate Change and Human Interaction.
All Plants of Taenitis are terrestrial and, without inferring species dispersion and locality, seem to be found primarily in the tropics of Queensland and the Northern Territory within Australia and various equatorial regions such as Fiji and Sri Lanka. Known species of the genus Taenitis all reproduce via spores which form tetrads for dispersion. In young life they slowly expand via rhizomes and have varying leaves depending on the species, this variation can result in different species within the genus having either monomorphic or dimorphic leaves. There are some protective features as the young grow including hairs that cover the area of the sporangia and protect against temperature. Species of Taenitis can also at times be arranged into the families Hemionitidaceae and Taenitidaceae depending on the uncertainty of the species classification within the genus. Characteristics however that specifically define the taxa are that the genus have; abaxial soli without indusia or at least a soli protected by a revolute leaf margin. The rhizomes are short-creeping and 4mm in diameter with fronds 80cm long and stipes approximately 70cm.
Taenitis Pinnata are terrestrial plants that reproduce via spores.
The genus Taenitis has very little information regarding the evolution due to lack of study into the species, so it can't be conclusively shown whether ferns like these are directly related to foreign ferns or if they are merely a result of convergent evolution.
There is little information on the phylogenetic relationships the Taenitis genus has shared with others genus's in the past and more study is therefore required.
The genus Taenitis is spread mainly through out the islands of Fiji and Papua New Guinea, with high populations of Taenitis also in Queensland, however only one species exists within Western Australia (Taenitis Pinnata). It is located East of Broome near Halls Creek.
The habitats of the genus Taenitis are tropical and temperate, they require a moist environment and are not found outside of the equatorial region. They don't require any specific soils, ranging from the sands of the Kimberly to the fertile soils of Queensland.
Due to it being an understudied genus, the Taenitis genus does not have any currently known uses.
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