Venation patterns, soral characteristics, and shape of the fronds of the microsorioid Polypodiaceae

The present paper deals with a detailed study of the venation, soral shape and distribution, and frondshape of the microsorioid Polypodiaceae, including taxa generally referred to the genera Christiopteris, Colysis, Dendroconche, Dendroglossa, Diblemma, Lecanopteris, Leptochilus, Microsorium, Neocheiropteris, Neolepisorus, Paraleptochilus, Phymatodes, and Podosorus. The fascinating diversity found in the characters studied is used to classify the taxa into 19 groups, which can be arranged into two main groups, using ontogenetic data of the venation. The results suggest that the following genera can be united: Colysis, Dendroglossa, and Paraleptochilus, whereas Dendroconche and Diblemma should be merged with Microsorium. The latter genus is remarkably heterogeneous; a systematic study will be conducted in the near future.