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Family Gleicheniaceae

Description: Terrestrial ferns; rhizome long-creeping, branched, covered with peltate, fringed scales or branched hairs.

Fronds often pseudodichotomously branched with apical buds that are periodically dormant while each successive pair of branches develops, vernation circinate; lamina covered with hairs and/or fringed scales; ultimate segments flat or margins recurved; veins free.

Sori superficial, without indusium, made up of a small number of pear-shaped sporangia that split longitudinally.


Distribution and occurrence: World: 4 genera, c. 127 species, tropical & temperate regions. Australia: 4 genera, 13 species, all States.

External links:
Wikipedia

Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept:

 Key to the genera 
1Pinnules divided into many small segments that are 1–5 mm long, often pouch-like with revolute margins; sori solitary in each segment; rhizome and apical bud covered with scalesGleichenia
Pinnules undivided, 1–6 cm long, oblong or linear, each segment bearing a number of sori; rhizome and apical buds covered with scales or stiff hairs2
2Rhizome and apical bud covered with scales; minor veins of the segments usually forked once; sporangia usually 4 in each sorus but varying from 1 to 6Sticherus
Rhizome and apical bud covered with stiff, septate hairs; minor veins of segments forked at least twice; sporangia usually 6–12 in each sorus
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Dicranopteris

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