Stems short-creeping, thick, 1 cm diam. Blades 2-pinnate-pinnatifid nearly throughout, broadest at base, apex gradually reduced; pinnae pinnate-pinnatifid, sessile or stalked, not connected by wing along rachis; costae not grooved adaxially; buds absent; veins free, often forked, tips not reaching margin; rachises and costae lacking scales; indument abaxially of unbranched, septate hairs mostly over 1 mm. Sori round, medial to supramedial; indusia small, less than 0.3 mm diam., often obscured in mature sori; sporangial capsules bearing short-stalked glands. x = 31.

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical regions, North America, Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, Australia in Queensland.

Discussion

Species ca. 10 (1 introduced in the flora).

Selected References

Holttum, R. E. 1969. Studies in the family Thelypteridaceae. The genera Phegopteris, Pseudophegopteris, and Macrothelypteris. Blumea 17: 5--32.

Leonard, S. W. 1972. The distribution of Thelypteris torresiana in the southeastern United States. Amer. Fern J. 62: 97--99.

Lower Taxa

Macrothelypteris torresiana