| Comptonia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Comptonia peregrina leaves | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Myricaceae |
| Genus: | Comptonia L'Hér.[1] |
| Species[1][2] | |
Comptonia is agenus offlowering plants in the familyMyricaceae, native to parts of eastern North America. It has one extant (living) species, sweet fern,Comptonia peregrina,[1] and a number of extinct species.[2]
The living species was first described, asLiquidambar peregrina, byCarl Linnaeus in 1753, in the second volume ofSpecies Plantarum. Further on in the same volume, he describedMyrica aspleniifolia as a different species (with the epithet speltasplenifolia). In 1763, he changed his mind concerningMyrica aspleniifolia, and it becameLiquidambar aspleniifolia, and so in the same genus asLiquidambar peregrina.[3]
In 1789,Charles Louis L'Héritier placed Linnaeus's originalMyrica aspleniifolia in his new genusComptonia.[4] The genus is named in honor of Rev.Henry Compton (1632-1713), bishop of Oxford.
In 1894,John M. Coulter transferred Linnaeus'sLiquidambar peregrina toComptonia, and treated Linnaeus'sMyrica aspleniifolia as asynonym.[3]Comptonia peregrina is now the only extant (living) species in the genus.[1]
Comptonia is categorized as an Actinorhizal plant - an angiosperm characterized by their ability to form a symbiosis with the nitrogen fixing actinomycetota Frankia. This association leads to the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules.[5]
