Dicksoniaceae

Tree ferns or large terrestrial ferns; trunks 1m or more high, often massive and bearing adventitious roots as well as often persistent stipe-bases (as in Dicksonia) or with stout stipes from the creeping rhizome (as in Calochlaena). Stipes not articulated, flattened above or 1 or more times grooved on the upper surface, densely clothed with hairs; the grooves continuous. Lamina chartaceous or coriaceous or subcoriaceous, 2-pinnate to decompound, dimorphic or non-dimorphic, clothed with hairs (never scales). Ultimate segments mostly ± lanceolate, crenate to 2-pinnatifid. Veins free, forked or pinnate, close to the margin. Cubical cells present in association with the sclerenchyma. Sori round, borne on the vein-endings, almost marginal, protected by a 2-lipped indusium, an inner or true indusium and on outer false indusium consisting of a modified marginal laminal lobe. Paraphyses filiform. Sporangia gradate; the pedicels short to long; the annulus oblique, ± interrrupted or not interrupted by the pedicel; stomium definite, horizontal. Spores trilete, globose or globose-tetrahedral. 6 gen., north- and south-temp., trop.