Tmesipteris Bernh.

Rhizome subterranean, dichotomously branched, with brown rhizoidal hairs. Aerial shoots erect or pendulous, unbranched or, rarely, few-branched distally; annual growth terminating in a large leaf similar to laterals, or growth continuing over a number of years, but eventually terminated by a leaf much smaller than laterals. Sterile leaves scale-like at shoot base, large and leaf-like above, decurrent, 1-veined, entire, spirally or distichously arranged. Sporogenous leaves bifid, otherwise similar in size and form to sterile ones or smaller, produced irregularly along shoot, in distinct zones, or basally. Synangia large, bilobed; ends obtuse or acute, brown. [See also Green (1994).]