Schizaeales

Schizaeales is an order of ferns in the class Polypodiopsida. It comprises three families: Anemiaceae, Lygodiaceae, and Schizaeaceae. The order represents a relatively small lineage of leptosporangiate ferns with a global distribution, though species richness is greatest in tropical and subtropical regions and some members extend into temperate zones. The major genera are Anemia (Anemiaceae), Lygodium (Lygodiaceae), and Schizaea (Schizaeaceae).

Members of Schizaeales exhibit diverse habits. Lygodium species are climbing ferns with branched fronds, familiar in tropical forests. Schizaea ferns are often small and have highly dissected or narrow fronds, while Anemia species tend to be delicate and diminutive, frequently occupying moist habitats. Frond morphology and soral patterns vary among the families, reflecting adaptive differences within the group.

Ecologically, Schizaeales occupy a range of moist, shaded to open habitats, including forest understories, wetlands, and rocky sites. Lygodiums can form extensive climbing vegetation in tropical ecosystems, whereas Schizaea and Anemia members are more typically ground- or rock-dwelling.

Taxonomically, Schizaeales is recognized in contemporary classifications, such as the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group (PPG I), as an early-diverging lineage within leptosporangiate ferns. The group has a fossil record dating to the late Paleozoic, indicating an ancient origin and contributing to understanding the evolution of ferns.