Sterile leaves simple and decurrent; fertile leaves shortly stalked and divided into 2 almost to the base.
Synangium consisting of 2 sporangia, borne just below the division of the fertile leaves.
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Synangia rounded, aerial stems mostly <15 cm long | 2 |
| Synangia usually pointed, stems generally >15 cm long | 3 |
| 2 | Apices of the leaves acute, usually tapering evenly into an indistinctly mucronate tip | Tmesipteris parva |
| Apices of the leaves rounded, mucronate tip distinct
Back to 1 | Tmesipteris ovata |
| 3 | Stems smooth at the base except for a single groove on the upper surface; leaves broad-oblong to oblong, mostly 5–8 mm wide | Tmesipteris obliqua |
| Stems ridged at the base on all sides with 3 or 4 grooves; leaves oblong to narrow-linear, mostly 2–5 mm wide
Back to 1 | Tmesipteris truncata |
