Species name :

Pteris creticaL.
Published in L., Mantissa 130 (1767)

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

No Main Synonyms

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [PlantList] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life ]

Plant Family :

Pteridaceae E.D.M. Kirchn (The Fern Family)
4 species from the Pteridaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Cretan Brake, Ribbon Fern

Maltese name(s) :

Pteris

Status for Malta :

Casual or accidental alien species introduced in Malta rather recently and which is short-lived or resticted in small populations for a short time without becoming widespread.

Frequency :

Very Common     Common     Frequent     Scarce     Rare     Very Rare     Extinct

Growth form :

Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: HEMICRYPTOPHYTE (prostate plants with flowers close to the ground)
Germination [info]: Dicotyledon

Legal Protection [link]:

Not Protected by Law (LN200/2011 or LN311/2006)

Red List (1989) :

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

All year

Colour of Flowers:

Inconspicuous

Habitat in Europe:

Data will be available in the next update of this website.

Preferred habitat in Malta:

Data will be available in the next update of this website.

Botanical Description:

Rhizome short-creeping; scales small, dark brown. Petiole up to c. 30 cm, light brown; lamina up to c. 40 cm, ovate; pinnae 1-7 pairs, linear, simple (except for lowest 1 or 2 pairs which may be forked), serrate at the apex; sterile pinnae serrulate, slightly wider than fertile. Sori occupying entire margin except for the apex; indusium reflexed and inconspicuous when mature.

Chromosome number:

2n=58

Distributional range:

C. Mediterranean region and N. Italy one station in S. Greece often cultivated for ornament, and locally naturalized.

Distributional map in Europe
and the Mediterranean region (2018):

Occurrences in Europe.
(from Flora Europaea pre year 1993):

Corse, Doubtful in Crete, France (incl. Monaco and Channel Islands but excluding Corse), Greece, Switzerland, Italy (excl. Sicily and Sardignia), Sardinia, Sicily and/or Malta, Introduced in  the Azores, Britain (excl. Northern Ireland and Channel islands), the Netherlands, Spain (incl. Andorra but excl. the Balaerics), Hungary

Occurrences in Europe and the Mediterranean region.
(Euro+Med Checklist, 2017) - Country codes

Ab(A) Ag Co -Cr Ga(F) Gg(D) Gr He Hs It -LS -Sa Si(S) Tu(A) Uk [Az(M T) aBe(B) Br Ca(C) aGe aHb(E) aHo Hs(S) Hu aSi(M) aUk(K)]

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