pteridology

Pteridology is the branch of botany concerned with the study of ferns and related vascular, spore-bearing plants (commonly including ferns, horsetails, and sometimes lycophytes). The term derives from the Greek pterid- (fern) and -ology (study). Pteridologists investigate the taxonomy, morphology, reproduction, ecology, evolution, and conservation of these groups.

Historically, ferns have been studied since classical times, but scientific interest increased in the 18th and 19th centuries with botanical exploration and the Victorian “fern craze” that popularized fern collecting and cultivation. Modern pteridology integrates classical herbarium work with microscopy, cytology, palynology (spore study), and molecular phylogenetics to resolve relationships and species limits.

Research topics include life-cycle variation (sporophyte and gametophyte stages), hybridization, polyploidy, biogeography, and adaptations to diverse habitats from rainforests to arid cliffs. Ferns are important ecologically as understory plants, soil stabilizers and pioneers on disturbed substrates, and some species are used ornamentally or as bioindicators. Certain ferns also have applied uses; for example, some accumulate heavy metals and have been studied for phytoremediation.

Conservation concerns involve habitat loss, overcollection, invasive species, and climate change, prompting in situ and ex situ conservation measures. Ongoing advances in DNA sequencing and genomics continue to reshape understanding of fern evolution and classification, making pteridology an active field within plant sciences.