Although the taxonomy of the genus Pteridium is still controversial, four or five species are often accepted in modern accounts, including: P. aquilinum (L.) Kuhn sensu stricto, P. arachnoideum (Kaulf.) Maxon, P. caudatum (L.) Maxon, P. esculentum (G. Forst.) Cockayne, and P. semihastatum (Wall. ex J. Agardh) S.B. Andrews (P. yarrabense (Domin) N.A Wakef.) (Thomson, 2004).

The list of epithets that have been applied as infraspecific taxa within P. aquilinum when the genus was still considered monospecific includes nearly 20 names. A number of these are now applied to segregate species within the genus and the taxonomic status of most others still has not been fully resolved.