Marattiaceae

Abstract

Terrestrial ferns. Stem mycorrhizal, generally unbranched, radial or dorsiventral, slender and creeping or ± stout and erect, often apparently massive since clothed with pairs of large, persistent photosynthetic stipules which protect the young croziers. Roots fleshy, often produced aerially. Leaves clustered or ± distant. Petiole sometimes grooved on the upper side, with one swollen area (pulvinus) at the base, another at the base of the laminate portion of the leaf and sometimes one or more pulvini in the middle region, sparsely to densely covered in non-clathrate, peltate (except in Christensenia) scales which may be borne on podia. Lamina simple to 4-pinnate (subpedate in Christensenia), catadromous, with pulvini at the junctions of the different orders of pinnae and pinnules with rachises and also at the junctions of the different orders of rachises; rachises terete, sometimes winged. Pinnae or pinnules thick (membranous only in Danaea trichomanoides Spruce ex Moore), sparsely scaly, rarely with uniseriate multicellular hairs, costate, margin with an often barely distinguishable tooth or lobe at each vein ending. Venation catadromous, veins characteristically free, generally simple or once-furcate (merging to form a submarginal vein in some species of Danaea),but reticulate in Christensenia; occasional veins bifurcate.