one of a number of families into which the family Polypodiaceae has been subdivided in some classification systems; Pteridaceae is itself in turn sometimes further subdivided

Pteridaceae is a large family of ferns in the order Pteridales. Members of the family have creeping or erect rhizomes and are mostly terrestrial or epipetric (growing on rock). The leaves are almost always compound and have linear sori that are typically on the margins of the leaves and lack a true indusium, typically being protected by a false indusium formed from the reflexed margin of the leaf.