Abstract

Most of the aquatic ferns of Taiwan are of very wide distribution and are therefore well known. Most of them belong to small families which are very dif ferent from each other and from all other fern families. There are a few aquatic ferns which are common along ditches and water courses, such as: Diplaziztm escidentum and Gmziopteris prolifera, and some that grow on rocks at or near the waters edge of mountain streams, such as: Microsorium pteropus, which belong to large families. The other species in these genera to which they belong are not aquatic, therefore such ferns will be treated later.