"Seedless Vascular Plants": Monilophytes: Leptosporangiate Ferns

Traits of Azolleceae (Salviniales)

1. Fan shaped, two lobed leaves; floating

2. Roots pendant and stems forked; submerged

3. Heterosporous

What families are in the order Salviniales?

1. Azolleceae

What families are in the order Polypodiales?

1. Dennstaedtiaceae

2. Pteridaceae: Adiantum

3. Dryopteridaceae

4. Polypodiaceae

5. Blechnaceae

6. Athyriaceae

Traits of Dennstaedtiaceae (Polypodiales)

1. Petiole strongly grooved on upper surface

2. Rhizome and base of petiole covered in felt-like hairs

3. False indusium

Traits of Pteridaceae

1. Wiry, thin, dark petioles

2. False indusia

3. May have nom-aggregated sporangis

4. May have dissimilar vegetative and reproductive leaves

Traits of Dryopteridaceae

1. Sporangia in round sori

2. Indusia ventrally attached

Traits of Polypodiaceae

1. Leaves simple and deeply pinnately lobed

2. No indusia on sori

Traits of Blechnaceae

1. Leaves deeply pinnately lobed or once pinnately compound with lobed leaflets

2. Oblong sori in end to end rows with laterally attached oblong indusia

Traits of Aythriaceae

1. 1-3 pinnate blades

2. Sori with either no indusia or reniform indusia laterally attached