Lomariopsidaceae

Terrestrial, epiphytic or lithophytic plants. Rhizome short and suberect, or creeping and branched with non-peltate scales. Stipe articulated or not. Fronds dimorphic; lamina simple or pinnate, often with proliferating buds along the rhachis; veins free or anastomosing; stipe and rhachis adaxially with a longitudinal groove or convex and then with lateral ridges. Indumentum composed of scales or often with glandular hairs occurring on the rhizome, axes and lamina surfaces short, uniseriate hairs. The abaxial surface of the fertile fronds covered with sporangia.

Comment: Recent literature places the genera Elaphoglossum and Bolbitis either in the family of the Elaphoglossaceae (Crouch et al. 2011) or in the family of the Dryopteridaceae (Roux 2009). However since there are still uncertainties we have, for now, chosen to leave the genera within the Lomariopsidaceae.

Worldwide: c. 500 species (Source: Roux 2001); pantropical distribution.

Zimbabwe: 3 genera and 16 taxa.