The genus
Hemionitis was first described by
Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The genus name is pre-Linnaean, being used for example in the
Hortus Cliffortianus, and derives from the
Greek word (), meaning 'mule', referring to the belief that the plants were sterile. (Linnaeus used the same word in the name "
Asplenium hemionitis".) The division of the subfamily
Cheilanthoideae into genera varies greatly between sources . Christenhusz et al. (2011), the
Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), and the
Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World divide the subfamily into 20 or more genera, of which one is
Hemionitis sensu stricto. On the other hand, Christenhusz et al. (2018) and
Plants of the World Online use
Hemionitis sensu lato as a catch-all genus for the subfamily, resulting in about 450 species.
Species Using the PPG I approach, , the
Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World accepted the following species (and one hybrid) in
Hemionitis sensu stricto. All are native to tropical America. •
Hemionitis levyi E.Fourn. •
Hemionitis palmata L. •
Hemionitis pinnatifida Baker •
Hemionitis rufa (L.) Sw. •
Hemionitis tomentosa (Lam.) Raddi •
Hemionitis umbrosa R.Y.Hirai & J.Prado •
Hemionitis × smithii (Trevis.) C.Chr. =
H. palmata ×
H. rufa ==References==