Dennstaedtiaceae
Bracken Family
The Dennstaedtiaceae family (Bracken Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Polypodiales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 2 species across 2 genera. Members range from herbs to undershrubs. Well-represented genera include Microlepia and Pteridium. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include limpleaf fern and South Asian bracken.
Browse all 2 species ↓
Coarse, often large, much-divided fronds arising singly at intervals from a far-creeping underground rhizome rather than in a tight tuft; marginal spore clusters run in a narrow continuous line just inside the leaflet edge.
As true ferns this family has no flowers or seeds — bracken's far-creeping rhizome lets a single plant spread across large areas, often forming dense colonial stands rather than isolated clumps.
Which Dennstaedtiaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Dennstaedtiaceae species.
To check whether a plant belongs to Dennstaedtiaceae, 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 2 species in DENNSTAEDTIACEAE
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