Terrestrial ferns. Rhizome creeping or erectwith brown non-peltate scales. Stipe not articulated, with 2 vascular strands at base which fuse upwards to form a single U-shaped strand. Lamina 1–2-pinnate or rarely 3-pinnatifid, usually narrowly oblong in outline, glabrous to pubescent or pilose; the indumentum often comprises stiff acicular unicellular hairs, glands of various sorts and fine soft hairs, sometimes hooked at the apex (multicellular hairs present only in one introduced genus, see addendum p. 41); scales are also sometimes present in two African genera along the costae or costules. Veins free or few to many pairs of veins arising from adjoining costules anastomosing into a vein which runs to the sinus between the pinna-lobes. Sori round, with or without a reniform indusium to linear and exindusiate. Spores monolete with perispore.