3. Cheilanthes Sw. (lip fern)
Rhizomes
compact to short- or long-creeping. Leaves 2–3 times compound, the pinnules
less than 1 cm long, less than 2 mm wide. Veins difficult to observe,
unbranched or with 1–2 lateral branches. Sporangia along the terminal portions
of the veins, partially covered by the usually strongly reflexed pinnule
margins (false indusia), these usually with a differentiated, scarious edge.
Spores 32 or 64 per sporangium, 35–80 mm in diameter, variously colored. About
150 species, nearly worldwide.