| Female Fern Family | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Genera | ||||||||||
| Phegopteris Thelypteris Metathelypteris Amauropelta Oreopteris Cyclosorus |
The Thelypteridaceae as a family includes those members formerly placed in the genus Thelypteris, sensu latu. In fact, the entire family was at one time only considered to be a section or two of the genus Dryopteris (or Aspidium), a group to which it is actually only remotely related.
This family includes several complexes of species that are difficult to distinguish, and seem to represent a remarkable evolutionary radiation.
Recent genetic evidence shows that the family is clearly monophyletic. The same genetic studies show that the traditional genus Phegopteris is, in fact, a clearly segregate group that diverges at the very base of the family tree. In fact, this particular clade also includes the genera Pseudophegopteris and Macrothelypteris, which are here included in the larger genus Phegopteris. Similarly, Coryphopteris is included here in the genus Metathelypteris, Parathelypteris is included in Amauropelta, and a large group of genera are included in Cyclosorus.
This family typically has creeping rhizomes, simply pinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid fronds, either no frond dimorphism or only mild dimorphism, either open venation or very simple anastomosing, sori mostly reniform and indusiate, except for the Phegopteris group.