Sori elongate along veinlets, completely covered when young by indusium, which opens towards costule. Indusium in some genera vestigial to absent. Sporangia long-stalked; spores bilateral, with perispore, smooth to tuberculate or spinulose; annulus vertical, incomplete. Rhizome short, ascending to very shortly creeping, dictyostelic; paleae clathrate, hairs us. present. Fronds tufted; stipes not articulated to rhizome, us. with two vascular strands. Lamina various; veins free or anastomosing without included veinlets. About 10 genera, terrestrial or epiphytic, of wide distribution.

Rhizomes erect to long-creeping, bearing clathrate scales. Fronds entire to 1-5-pinnate. Sporangia borne on abaxial surface of frond, in elongated sori along veins, protected by elongated indusia. Annulus vertical. Homosporous; spores lacking chlorophyll.