17 - Woodsiaceae
from Division 3 - Polypodiophyta
Summary
Perennial herbs with short, rarely long rhizomes. Fronds borne in tufts at the end of rhizomes or sometimes singly at intervals, spirally coiled when young, with scales of 1 or 2 kinds, fertile and sterile, 1- to 4-pinnate; stipe grooved, with 2 vascular bundles which unite distally into a single strand. Sori variable. Indusia present or absent. Plants homosporous. Gametophyte green, surface-living.
Fertile fronds very different from the sterile ones 2.
Fertile and sterile fronds similar 3.
Lamina of sterile fronds oblanceolate, bipinnate 1. Matteuccia
Lamina of fronds triangular, pinnate 2. Onoclea
Rhachis jointed below the middle; indusia cup-shaped, fringed with long jointed hairs 6. Woodsia
Rhachis not jointed; indusia different from last or absent 4.
Fronds tufted; lamina lanceolate or oblanceolate 5.
Fronds single, from an elongated rhizome; lamina more or less triangular 6.
Sori elongated or suborbicular (if so without indusium); fairly large plants, usually growing on soil 3. Athyrium
Sori orbicular, with indusium at least when young; small plants, usually growing in rock fissures or on walls 5. Cystopteris
Pinnules entire or finely serrate; indusia absent 4. Gymnocarpium
Proximal pinnules pinnate; sori when young with bowlshaped indusium 5. Cystopteris
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Flora of Great Britain and Ireland , pp. 32 - 38Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018