Cheiropleuriaceae

Cheiropleuriaceae T. Nakai, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 42 (1928) 210. Terrestrial or epilithic herb. Rhizome woody, creeping or subscandent, protostelic, lacking scales, covered with soft, uniseriate, pale brown, multicellular hairs. Fronds dimorphous. Petioles glabrous except at base, not articulated to rhizome. Sterile fronds often simple but typically 2(-4)-lobed, entire and lobed blades often appearing on the same plant, lamina glabrous, coriaceous; the lobes (if present) acuminate with a broad sinus between; base broadly rounded or sometimes obtuse or acute; margins entire, sometimes slightly revolute; main veins dichotomous, smaller veins reticulate. Fertile fronds simple, narrow, linear to narrowly lanceolate, gradually tapering at both ends; upper surface glabrous; lower surface wholly covered with sporangia and simple clubshaped paraphyses except along the 1—3 main veins and a narrow strip along the margin. Sporangia long-stalked, annulus almost vertical, extending most of the way round the sporangium. Spores creamy-white to pale brown.