This listing contains taxa of plants in the divisionLycopodiophyta, recorded fromSouth Africa.The lycophytes, when broadlycircumscribed, are avascular plant (tracheophyte) subgroup of the kingdomPlantae. They are sometimes placed in a division Lycopodiophyta or Lycophyta or in a subdivision Lycopodiophytina. They are one of the oldest lineages ofextant (living) vascular plants; the group contains extinct plants that have been dated from theSilurian (ca. 425 million years ago).[1][2] Lycophytes were some of the dominating plant species of theCarboniferous period, and included tree-like species, although extant lycophytes are relatively small plants.[3]
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened.[4] Ninebiomes have been described in South Africa:Fynbos, SucculentKaroo,desert,Nama Karoo,grassland,savanna,Albany thickets, theIndian Ocean coastal belt, andforests.[5]
The 2018South African National Biodiversity Institute'sNational Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phylaAnthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)),Anthophyta (flowering plants(33534)),Bryophyta (mosses (685)),Cycadophyta (cycads (42)),Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)),Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)),Pinophyta (conifers (33)), andPteridophyta {cryptograms(408)).[6]
Names are given as listed in the source. Where the accepted name at source date differs, it is appended.
