Small to moderate-sized epiphytes or terrestrial herbs. Rhizome long creeping, densely covered with scales. Fronds usually borne in 2 rows; lamina simple to pinnatifid. Sporangia borne in small discrete sori terminal on the veins. Spores monolete.

Contains 11 genera and about 150 species, mostly in the Old World tropics or subtropics.

Davallia Sm.

Perennial herbs with polystelic rhizomes, broad dorsal and ventral meristeles and clathrate scales. Fronds distant, in 2 ranks, articulated to rhizome; lamina 3- to 4-pinnate; stipe with several vascular strands, jointed to the rhizome. Sori submarginate. Indusia elongate, vase-shaped, opening near the margin. Spores bilateral.

Contains about 40 species, mostly from the warm temperate or tropical Old World. D. bullata Wall. agg. has been recorded as a greenhouse escape.

1. D. canariensis (L.) Sm. Hare's-foot Fern Trichomanes canariensis L.; Polypodium lusitanicum L.

Perennial herb with a rhizome 1.0–1.5 cm thick which is densely silky-scaly. Fronds up to 80 cm, with stipe half as long as lamina; lamina 4-pinnate, with the ultimate segments lanceolate to ovate-oblong, mostly bidentate. Sori on underside of lamina, submarginal. Indusia elongate, vase-shaped, attached at base and sides and opening towards margin of lamina. Spores bilateral.

Introduced. Formerly naturalised on a wall at Coin Colin, St Martin, in Guernsey. Native of south-west Europe and Macaronesia.