New data on distribution and habitats of medicinal fern taxa in Slavonia

Istraživanje ljekovitih svojti papratnjača provedeno je na tri lokaliteta na području Slavonije (istočna Hrvatska). Odabrani lokaliteti (Arboretum Lisičine, Park šuma Jankovac i grad Osijek) razvrstani su u dvije kategorije s obzirom na stupanj urbanizacije: 1) prirodna staništa/ruralna sredina i 2) urbana sredina. Zabilježeno je ukupno 12 svojti ljekovitih papratnjača unutar sedam porodica, od kojih su najzastupljenije svojte iz porodica Equisetaceae i Aspleniaceae. Samo jedna svojta bila je prisutna na svim lokalitetima. Ustanovljena je veća raznolikost svojti na prirodnim staništima. Zbog izraženih ljekovitih i nutritivnih svojstava kao i važnosti papratnjača u fitoremedijaciji, potrebno je provoditi daljnja istraživanja njihove raznolikosti u urbanim sredinama te educirati širu javnost o važnosti i mogućnostima primjene i uzgoja ove skupine biljaka u urbanim sredinama.Research on medicinal fern taxa was conducted at three localities in the area of Slavonia (eastern Croatia). The selected localities (Lisičine Arboretum, Jankovac Forest Park and the city of Osijek) are classified into two categories with regard to the degree of urbanization: 1) natural habitats/rural environment and 2) urban environment. A total of 12 taxa of medicinal ferns within seven families were recorded, of which the most represented taxa are from the families Equisetaceae and Aspleniaceae. Only one taxon was present in all localities. A greater diversity of taxa was found in natural habitats. Due to the pronounced medicinal and nutritional properties as well as the importance of ferns in phytoremediation, it is necessary to conduct further research into their diversity in urban environments and to educate the general public about the importance and possibilities of using and growing this group of plants in urban environments