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Class FILICOPSIDA

Description: The Filicopsida are vascular plants which are diverse in form and grow in various habitats from epiphytic or terrestrial to aquatic, they lack flowers and reproduce sexually by spores. The sporophyte varies from herbaceous to arborescent and consists of true roots, stems and spirally arranged true leaves (fronds) which are either simple or markedly compound. In most cases the stem, or rhizome, is underground or on the surface of the ground and is usually protected by a covering of scales and/or hairs.

The fronds are usually characteristically circinate (that is, coiled) when young.

The spores are of one, or more rarely of two different kinds; they are produced in sporangia which are aggregated into sori or scattered over the lower surface of the frond. The position, shape, structure and degree of protection of the sorus is important in the identification of ferns. The spores produce a small independent prothallus which is delicate and mostly less than 1 cm diameter. After fusion of the gametes produced by the sex organs on the prothallus the independent sporophyte, or fern plant, develops.

Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 40–79 families, >350 genera, >9000 species, cosmopolitan. Australia: 30 families, 102 genera, 411 species (114 endemic), all States.

Sometimes ranked as a Division, Polyodiophyta.

Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept:

	Key to the class FILICOPSIDA
1	Plants rooted in soil or mud, or epiphytic	2
2	Fertile fronds borne as an offshoot of the sterile fronds, the two parts markedly different; vernation not circinate	OPHIOGLOSSACEAE
2*	Fertile and sterile fronds borne separately on rhizome, or all fronds fertile; vernation circinate	3
3	Sporangia borne on the surface of the fronds, often covered by an indusium of the recurved margin of the frond; never completely enclosed by a modified frond (sporocarp)	4
4	Stipes with an expanded, stipule-like base; sporangia relatively large, ± sessile, rounded to oval in shape, splitting along a central line	5
5	Stipule-like structures fleshy, trunk short (to 80 cm) and massive, with a single crown	MARATTIACEAE
5*	Stipule-like structures thin; trunk taller, usually with 2 or more crowns	OSMUNDACEAE
4*	Stipes with base lacking stipule-like structures; sporangia smaller, on short stalks, splitting vertically or laterally	6
6	Sori on narrow segments borne in pinnate groups at tips of the fertile fronds, or projecting from the margins of the pinnae of fertile fronds	SCHIZAEACEAE
6*	Sori not borne on such projections	7
7	Aquatic fern with spongy stipes; fronds strongly dimorphic	PARKERIACEAE
7*	Terrestrial or epiphytic ferns	8
8	Arborescent ferns	9
9	Trunk and base of stipes scaly; indusia absent or scale-like	CYATHEACEAE
9*	Trunk and base of stipes hairy; sori located in 2-lipped cups, the outer lip formed from the recurved margin of the lamina, the inner lip the true indusium	DICKSONIACEAE
8*	Non-arborescent ferns	10
10	Fronds pseudodichotomously branched with dormant apical buds	GLEICHENIACEAE
10*	Fronds not branching in this manner	11
11	Sori ± enclosed by the strongly revolute margins of the pinnae, the fronds long and narrow; rhizomes hairy	PLATYZOMATACEAE
11*	Sori marginal or superficial, margins of fronds often recurved but never strongly revolute; rhizomes sometimes hairy	13
3*	Sporangia completely enclosed in a sporocarp; sterile leaves filiform or with four leaflets	MARSILEACEAE
1*	Plants free-floating	12
12	Leaves c. 20 mm long, covered in long papillae	SALVINIACEAE
12*	Leaves small, 1–2 mm long, imbricate in 2 rows	AZOLLACEAE
13	Sori restricted to the marginal or submarginal region of the lamina, if submarginal usually covered by a false indusium	14
14	Rhizomes covered with hairs or bristles	17
14*	Rhizomes covered with scales	20
13*	Sori superficial	15
15	Fronds simple	29
15*	Fronds pinnatifid or more compound	16
16	Sori elongated along the veins or sporangia scattered over much of the surface of the lamina	35
16*	Sori circular	41
17	Sporangia borne on a columnar or filiform receptacle within a 2-valved or cupular involucre	HYMENOPHYLLACEAE
17*	Sporangia borne on the surface of the lamina	18
18	Sori circular, indusia 2-lipped with the inner lip the true indusium	19
19	The 2 lips free, inner membranous and obscure, indumentum on stipe base of long hairs; lamina ± leathery.(Calochlaena)	DICKSONIACEAE
19*	The 2 lips fused to form a cup, indumentum on stipe base of very short, dense hairs; lamina soft and membranous	DENNSTAEDTIACEAE
18*	Either sori circular and indusium false and formed from the recurved margin or sori linear and with true indusia present or absent	DENNSTAEDTIACEAE
20	True indusia present	21
21	Indusia cup-like, attached at the base and sides.(Davallia)	DAVALLIACEAE
21*	Indusia flap-like	22
22	Sori borne along single veins	ASPLENIACEAE
22*	Sori borne across the tips of a number of veins	LINDSAEACEAE
20*	Indusia false (formed by recurved lamina margin) or absent	23
23	Epiphytes, leaves simple, linear, rhizome scales clathrate	VITTARIACEAE
23*	Terrestrial plants, leaves compound; rhizome scales not clathrate	24
24	Fronds simply pinnate	25
25	Pinnae leathery, veins not readily visible; sori continuous in broad bands along each margin of the pinna.(Pellaea)	SINOPTERIDACEAE
25*	Pinnae herbaceous, veins readily visible; sori continuous in narrow bands	PTERIDACEAE
24*	Fronds at least 2-pinnate or 2-pinnatifid	26
26	Recurved margin covering and bearing the sorus, the whole structure being ± reniform	ADIANTACEAE
26*	Recurved margin not bearing the sorus	27
27	Pinnae rarely >5 cm long; sori and indusia short, sori becoming confluent (indusia sometimes absent).(Cheilanthes)	SINOPTERIDACEAE
27*	Pinnae usually >5 cm long; sori and indusia linear	28
28	Rhizomes tufted or short-creeping.(Pteris)	PTERIDACEAE
28*	Rhizomes long-creeping.(Histiopteris)	DENNSTAEDTIACEAE
29	Sori circular	30
30	Fronds articulate on the rhizome, scales of rhizome peltate and/or clathrate	POLYPODIACEAE
30*	Fronds not articulated, scales of rhizome neither peltate nor clathrate	GRAMMITACEAE
29*	Sori elongated or confluent and covering whole areas of the frond	31
31	Indusia present	32
32	Indusia parallel with the primary vein	BLECHNACEAE
32*	Indusia running along the secondary veins	ASPLENIACEAE
31*	Indusia absent	33
33	Sporangia borne on the much narrowed tail-like apex of the fertile frond.(Belvisia)	POLYPODIACEAE
33*	Apex of fronds not very narrow and tail-like	34
34	Sporangia scattered, becoming confluent; stipe and lamina bearing stellate hairs.(Pyrrosia)	POLYPODIACEAE
34*	Sori oblique, usually remaining distinct; stipe and lamina bearing simple or branched hairs	GRAMMITACEAE
35	Bracket epiphytes with 2 kinds of fronds, green fertile fronds plus brown or green sterile nest-fronds.(Platycerium)	POLYPODIACEAE
35*	Plants usually terrestrial, fronds of one kind but may be dimorphic	36
36	Indusia present	37
37	Sori parallel with the primary and secondary veins of the frond, fronds 1-pinnatifid to 1-pinnate	BLECHNACEAE
37*	Sori oblique with respect to main vein of the segment, or a main vein lacking; fronds more compound, usually at least 2-pinnatifid	38
38	Rhizome scales not clathrate; indusia often double (i.e., one on each side of a vein), especially at the base of the segment	ATHYRIACEAE
38*	Rhizome scales clathrate; indusia always single	ASPLENIACEAE
36*	Indusia absent	39
39	Fronds pinnate, segments with distinct petiolules; sporangia covering the entire lower surface of the fertile pinnae.(Acrostichum)	PTERIDACEAE
39*	Fronds otherwise; sporangia, at least when first formed, along veins	40
40	Rhizome scales clathrate, fronds and stipes covered with long hairs.(Pleurosorus)	ASPLENIACEAE
40*	Rhizome scales not clathrate, fronds glabrous or the lower surface covered with a waxy powder	TAENITIDACEAE
41	Fronds delicate and membranous.(Cystopteris)	ATHYRIACEAE
41*	Fronds herbaceous to leathery	42
42	Fronds of 2 kinds (green fertile fronds plus brown nest-fronds), veins anastomosing.(Drynaria)	POLYPODIACEAE
42*	Fronds of 1 kind, but may vary in shape	43
43	Rhizomes covered with hairs.(Hypolepis)	DENNSTAEDTIACEAE
43*	Rhizomes covered with scales	44
44	Rhizome scales peltate, stipe often articulate on the rhizome	45
45	Fronds pinnatifid (or simple), veins anastomosing; sori large, usually 2 mm or more diam.(Microsorum)	POLYPODIACEAE
45*	Fronds 1-pinnate or more divided, veins free; sori small, <2 mm diam	DAVALLIACEAE
44*	Rhizome scales not peltate, stipe not articulate on rhizome	46
46	Fronds pinnatisect.(Doodia)	BLECHNACEAE
46*	Fronds at least 1-pinnate	47
47	Fronds 1-pinnate to 2-pinnatifid (sometimes pinnatifid at apex)	48
48	Pinnae ± oblong in outline, never divided completely into pinnules at the base, veins anastomosing at the bases of the lobes and running to the fork between the lobes	THELYPTERIDACEAE
48*	Pinnae ovate to lanceolate in outline, veins free or copiously anastomosing	DRYOPTERIDACEAE
47*	Fronds 2-pinnate or more compound	49
49	Fronds with lamina membranous, sori without indusium, rhizome scales finely ciliate.(Macrothelypteris)	THELYPTERIDACEAE
49*	Fronds with lamina usually leathery, sori indusiate (except for 1 sp.), rhizome scales entire or finely toothed	DRYOPTERIDACEAE

	Compiled and edited by staff of the National Herbarium of New South Wales
	© 1999 – 2009 Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia

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