Thelypteridaceae
Marsh Fern Family
The Thelypteridaceae family (Marsh Fern Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Polypodiales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 4 species. Its members are predominantly herbs. Familiar examples include Soft Fern and Parasitic Tri-vein Fern.
Browse all 4 species ↓
Soft, finely divided, often hairy fronds growing from a creeping or short upright rhizome, typically in damp shaded ground; tiny round spore clusters dot the frond underside, each usually covered by a small horseshoe-shaped flap.
As true ferns this family has no flowers or seeds — its softly hairy, thin-textured fronds and horseshoe-shaped sorus covering are the main clues that separate it from other ferns.
Which Thelypteridaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Thelypteridaceae species.
To check whether a plant belongs to Thelypteridaceae, 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 DryopteridaceaeAspleniaceae
Compare against Aspleniaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare AspleniaceaeAll 4 species in THELYPTERIDACEAE
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