Hymenophyllum

Hymenophyllum
A plate featuring Hymenophyllum species from The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Division:	Polypodiophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Hymenophyllales
Family:	Hymenophyllaceae
Subfamily:	Hymenophylloideae Burnett
Genus:	Hymenophyllum Sm.
Type species
Hymenophyllum tunbrigense (L.) Sm.
Synonyms[1]
List Amphipterum C.Presl 1849-51 ex (Copeland 1937) Copeland 1938 Apteropteris (Copeland 1937) Copeland 1938 Buesia (Morton 1932) Copeland 1938 Cardiomanes C.Presl 1843 Craspedoneuron van den Bosch 1861 Craspedophyllum (Presl 1843) Copeland 1938 Dermatophlebium C.Presl 1849-51 Diploophyllum Bosch Hemicyatheon (Domin 1913) Copeland 1938 Hymenoglossum K.B.Presl, 1843 Leptocionium K.B.Presl, 1843 Leucomanes Presl 1851 Mecodium Presl ex (Copeland 1937) Copeland 1938 Meringium K.B.Presl, 1843 Microtrichomanes (Mettenius 1864 ex Prantl 1875) Copeland 1938 Myriodon (Copeland 1937) Copeland 1938 Myrmecostylum K.B.Presl, 1843 Pachyloma van den Bosch 1861 Pleuromanes (Presl 1851) Presl 1849-51 Pseudomecodium (Iwatsuki 1984) Satou 1997 Ptychomanes Hedwig 1800 Ptychophyllum K.B.Presl, 1843 Rosenstockia Copeland 1947 Serpyllopsis van den Bosch 1861 Sphaerocionium K.B.Presl, 1843 Tetralasma Philippi 1860

Hymenophyllum is a genus of ferns in the family Hymenophyllaceae. Its name means "membranous leaf", referring to the very thin translucent tissue of the fronds, which gives rise to the common name filmy fern for this and other thin-leaved ferns. The leaves are generally only one cell thick and lack stomata, making them vulnerable to desiccation. Consequently, they are found only in very humid areas, such as in moist forests and among sheltered rocks. They are small and easy to overlook.