Dryopteridaceae

Dryopteridaceae is a family of ferns in the order Polypodiales, commonly referred to as the wood ferns. The group is cosmopolitan, with the greatest diversity in temperate and subtropical regions. The type genus is Dryopteris; other widely recognized genera typically associated with the family include Athyrium, Deparia, Arachniodes, and Polystichum.

Plants are mostly terrestrial ferns with creeping rhizomes and fronds that are usually once- to thrice-pinnate. Fronds are often herbaceous and evergreen in favorable climates. The sori are usually arranged along the veins and are commonly protected by a false indusium formed by the reflexed margins of the pinnae, although variations exist among genera. Spore production follows, leading to wind-dispersed dispersal.

Classification within Polypodiales has shifted with molecular data, and Dryopteridaceae has been treated as a distinct family in many systems, though some genera have alternately been placed in related families in earlier treatments. In current major classifications, Dryopteridaceae remains widely accepted, with Dryopteris as the type genus and multiple allied genera.

Ecology and cultivation: Dryopteridaceae members occupy moist, shaded habitats, from woodland floors to forest edges. They are popular as ornamental ferns in shade gardens due to their hardiness and varied foliar forms. Some species are cultivated for indoor use or landscape applications.