Guide to Lycophytes and Ferns of Balinsasayao, Negros, the Philippines

Ferns and fern allies are traditionally called pteridophytes because of their shared life cycle as spore-producing plants. Recently, molecular data show that pteridophytes are a paraphyletic group, comprising lycophytes (clubmosses, spike moss, and quillworts) and ferns (or monilophytes), which include horsetails, whisk ferns, and all eusporangiate and leptosporangiate ferns (Smith et al., 2006). 

The Philippines is home to about 1,100 species of ferns and lycophytes which is about 10% of the 11,000 species worldwide. The species are distributed in 154 genera and 34 families. This continues to increase because of the discovery of new species and new records in the Philippines.

A survey of ferns and lycophytes in April 2014 around Balinsasayao to Mt. Guinsayawan which is about 1,780 meters above sea level (but only limited to ca. 1,600 m asl in this survey) revealed a total of 232 species. Of these, 13 species (3 genera, 2 families) are lycophytes and 219 species (86 genera, 31 families) are ferns.
These preliminary results are compiled in this handbook to enhance awareness of the plant resources of the region for future biodiversity and conservation studies.

This handbook provides a detailed checklist of 232 species and features some lycophytes (3 genera, 6 species) and ferns (86 genera, 124 species.) found in the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park. The families and genera within the family are presented in alphabetical order (starting with lycophytes and followed by ferns) and contain photographs and short descriptions of the plants. Taxonomic classification of the plants is based mainly from Christenhusz et al. (2011) and is augmented with some updates from similar literatures.

PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES OF BALINSASAYAO
l Physiography
l Climate
l Ecology and diversity
l Conservation Status

CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTIONS
l Lycophytes
l Ferns

REFERENCES
APPENDIX I: A CHECKLIST OF THE LYCOPHYTES AND FERNS OF BALINSASAYAO, NEGROS

APPENDIX II: Glossary

INDEX