Thelypteridaceae
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| iFemale fern | ||||||||||
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 Phegopteris connectilis
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Thelypteridaceae is a family of terrestrial ferns.
These ferns typically have creeping rhizomes. The fronds are simply pinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid. There is either no frond dimorphism or only mild dimorphism, either open venation or very simple anastomosing. The sori are mostly reniform in shape and have indusia, except for the Phegopteris group.
The family includes the species formerly placed in the genus Thelypteris, sensu latu. In fact, the entire family was at one time only considered to be a section or two of the genus Dryopteris (or Aspidium), a group to which it is actually only remotely related.
This family includes several complexes of species that are difficult to distinguish, and seem to represent a remarkable evolutionary radiation.
Recent genetic evidence shows that the family is clearly monophyletic. The same genetic studies show that the traditional genus Phegopteris is, in fact, a clearly segregate group that diverges at the very base of the family tree. In fact, this particular clade also includes the genera Pseudophegopteris and Macrothelypteris, which are here included in the larger genus Phegopteris. Similarly, Coryphopteris is included here in the genus Metathelypteris, Parathelypteris is included in Amauropelta, and a large group of genera are included in Cyclosorus.
