Tectaria group

Polypodiaceae subfam. Dryopteridoideae section A, auct.: C. Chr. in Verdoorn, Man. Pteridol. (1938) 543, p.p. Aspidiaceae tribe Aspidieae auct.: Ching, Sunyatsenia 5 (1940) 250, excl. Lomariopsis and related genera. — Aspidiaceae, group of Ctenitis Copel., Gen. Fil. (1947) 153. Aspidiaceae auct.: Pichi Sermolli, Webbia 31 (1977) 460—468, p.p. Dennstaedtiaceae subfam. Tectarioideae Holttum, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 53 (1947) 152; Revis. Fl. Malaya 2 (1955) 494; Studies fern genera I, Fern Gaz. 12 (1984) 313—319; Ibid. VI, Gard. Bull. Sing. 39 (1986) 153—167. Caudex in almost all cases erect or suberect, always with a radially organized dictyostele; scales narrow and rather firm, marginal teeth (if present, except in Cyclopeltis) almost always formed at the junction of two cells; i.e., the wall separating the two adjacent cells is elongated at right angles to the margin. Vascular structure of stipe consisting of small subequal vascular strands arranged in a U-formation as seen in transverse section (except in Pleocnemia where the arrangement is more complex), the two on the adaxial side variously enlarged. Fronds amply divided with free veins, or with broader divisions in which veins anastomose variously, in a few species simple, in most (except Heterogonium) the basal pinnae or lobes longest with elongate basal basiscopic lobes or pinnules; costae or costules of ultimate lamina-elements ± prominent on the upper surface, branching directly from the prominent upper surface of the rachis bearing them, the margins of the lamina decurrent on the sides of the rachis. Hairs consisting of several cells, not intergrading with scales, variously present on most parts of the frond, the prominent upper surface of costae of lamina-segments in a majority of cases (at least near the base) covered with short erect hairs of several cells, the outer cell-walls thin and collapsing on drying (in other cases hairs in this position may remain firm on drying); unicellular glands usually ± cylindric, colourless or red to yellow, variously present on surfaces of leaflets, on indusia, and on stalks of sporangia in some genera. Sori usually orbicular, covered with reniform or peltate indusia, or exindusiate, in the latter case sometimes spreading along veins. Fertile pinnae or leaflets in some species much contracted, with sporangia borne all along the veins to produce an acrostichoid appearance. Spores in most cases with a perispore folded into wings or crests, the wings variously anastomosing, the perispore in other cases spinulose or with obtuse projections. Base chromosome number 40 or 41.