Sceptridium Lyon, Bot. Gaz. 40: 457. 1905

Roots usually 10 or less, blackish, 1--4 mm diam. 1cm from base. Plants over 12 cm. Common stalk lacking idioblasts. Trophophore erect, long-stalked, arising from basal portion of common stalk near ground level; blade usually 1 per plant, appearing in spring, dying the following spring, present during winter, deltate, 2--4-pinnate, mostly 5--25 cm wide when mature, herbaceous or leathery. Leaf primordia densely hairy, hairs 1.5--2mm. Leaf sheath closed. Pinna divisions reduced in size to tip (except B . biternatum , B . dissectum , and B . oneidense with undivided tips larger than lateral pinnae). First pinnule on basal pinnae usually borne basiscopically. Sporophore long-stalked, arising from basal portion of common stalk near ground level, commonly absent or represented by hairy rudiment due to abortion, or falling off, stalks and rachis only slightly flattened, not fleshy, 0.5--0.8 mm wide. x =45.

Species 13 (6 in the flora): worldwide.