Polypodium rostratum Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 235. 1768.

Lectotypus (designated here): INDONESIA. Java [?]: s.d., Pryon s.n. (G-PREL [G00801123]!).

= Pteridium aquilinum subsp. wightianum (Wall. ex J. Agardh) W.C. Shieh in Quart. J. Chin. Forest. 6: 98. 1973. ≡ Pteris recurvata var. wightiana Wall. ex J. Agardh, Recens. Spec. Pter.: 50. 1839.

Notes. – In the protologue, BURMAN (1768: 235) cited an illustration (PLUKENET, 1705: tab. 399, fig. 4) and a Pryon collection.

The only original material in G-PREL is a Pryon specimen [G00801123)], probably from Java. It is formally designated here as lectotype.

The taxonomy of Pteridium aquilinum has been controversial. Recent morphometric and molecular genetic studies tend to recognize a single species containing several subspecies (THOMSON, 2000, 2004, 2008; ZHOU et al., 2014), while previous treatments recognized distinct species (e.g. BROWNSEY, 1998). Asingle subspecies is recognized in South East Asia (THOMSON, 2008; ZHOU et al., 2014).