Two fern taxa from the Polypodium vulgare L. complex - new for Croatia

Three taxa of the Polypodium vulgare L. complex are recognized as species currently found in Europe (Shivas 1961b, Dostal and Reichstein 1984, Neuroth 1996). These are Polypodium vulgare L., P. cambricum L. and P. interjectum Shivas. The most significant difference between them is the ploidy level. P. macaronesicum Bobrov is considered a fourth species in the complex by Akeroyd and Jermy (1993), but others (Dostal and Reichstein 1984, Neuroth 1996) treat it as a subspecies. Only two species, Polypodium vulgare L. and P. cambricum L., have been recorded for Croatia (Hrsak 1994, Nikolic 1995). The third species P. interjectum Shivas and its hybrid with P. vulgare L., named P. x mantoniae Rothm. et U. Schneid., have not previously been known in Croatia. During floristic research carried out in north-western Croatia in September 1999, both taxa were discovered for the first time.