1. Aquatic plants. 2. Plants floating; leaves small, simple or bilobed . . . . . . . . . . Salviniaceae 2. Plants rooted in earth or on rocks; leaves larger, more divided. 3. Leaves 4-partite; sporocarps attached to stipes . . . . . . . . Marsileaceae 3. Leaves not 4-partite; sporangia singly or in sori on lower surface of lamina. 4. Sporangia borne singly, protected by reflexed edges of narrow lamina . Adiantum Group 4. Sporangia grouped in sori, on lower surface of lamina, not protected by reflexed edges. 5. Fern of stream-beds in deep shade; fronds pinnatifid, sori without indusia Polypodiaceae 5. Fern of open swamps; fronds bipinnatifid, sori indusiate .... Thelypteris Group