Athyriaceae
Lady Fern Family
The Athyriaceae family (Lady Fern Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Polypodiales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 3 species across 2 genera. Its members are predominantly herbs. Well-represented genera include Athyrium and Diplazium.
Browse all 3 species ↓
Lacy, finely divided, deciduous fronds growing in a tuft from a stout rhizome, dying back in cold or dry seasons; curved or hooked spore clusters line the frond underside, each covered by a distinctive comma- or horseshoe-shaped flap.
As true ferns this family has no flowers or seeds — the curved, comma-shaped sorus covering is the clearest single field mark separating it from similar-looking lacy ferns.
Which Athyriaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Athyriaceae species.
To check whether a plant belongs to Athyriaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.
Learn the full family-identification methodNotable members
Families that can look similar
Pteridaceae
Compare against Pteridaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare PteridaceaePolypodiaceae
Compare against Polypodiaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare PolypodiaceaeDryopteridaceae
Compare against Dryopteridaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare DryopteridaceaeThelypteridaceae
Compare against Thelypteridaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare ThelypteridaceaeAll 3 species in ATHYRIACEAE
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