Abstract
Six new species of cave ferns of Polystichum are described and illustrated from southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region based on materials collected in 2010. These six new species include P. atroviridis, P. bamaense, P. hechiense, P. lepidotipinnatum, P. multifolium, and P. paoliense. All six species are so far known only from a single population and five of them each are from a single cave and one from limestone forest. Five species are classified as Critically Endangered (CR), and one as Data Deficient (DD) following IUCN Red List criteria.
References
- Baker, J.G. (1880) New ferns of China and Japan. The Gardeners' Chronicle, new series 14: 494.
- Diels, L. ([1899–]1902) Polypodiaceae. In: Engler, H.G.A. & Prantl, K.A.E. (Eds.) Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien, vol. 1 (4). W. Engelmann, Leipzig, pp. 139–339.
- He, H. & Zhang, L.-B. (2011) Polystichum cavernicola, sp. nov. (sect. Haplopolystichum, Dryopteridaceae) from a karst cave in Guizhou, China and its phylogenetic affinities. Botanical Studies 52: 121–127.
- He, H., Liang, Z.-L. & Zhang, L.-B. (2026) Guangxi-Yunnan 2009: Nine new cave ferns of Polystichum (subg. Haplopolystichum; Dryopteridaceae). Phytotaxa 752: 243–267. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.752.4.1
- IUCN (2024) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee, version 16. Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf (accessed: 13 January 2026)
- Roth, A.W. (1799 [1800]) Tentamen Florae Germanicae, vol. 3. Gleditsch, Leipzig, 578 pp.
- Tagawa, M. (1940) Polystichum of Japan, Korea, and Formosa I. Acta Phytotaxonomica Geobotanica 9: 119–138.
- Wang, P.-S. & Wang, X.-Y. (2001) Pteridophyte flora of Guizhou. Guizhou Science & Technology Press, Guiyang, 727 pp.
- Zhang, L.-B. & He, H. (2009) Polystichum minutissimmum (sect. Haplopolystichum, Dryopteridaceae): The smallest Polystichum found in a karst cave in China. Botanical Studies 50: 353–358.
- Zhang, L.-B. & Barrington, D.S. (2013) Polystichum. In: Wu, Z.-Y., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.-Y. (Eds.) Flora of China, vols. 2–3. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, pp. 629–713.
