Scaly Polypody

Description

Pleopeltis is a genus of between 20-50 species of ferns, widely distributed in tropical regions of the world, and also north into temperate regions in eastern North America and eastern Asia. Several species are known by the common name scaly polypody.The genus is closely related to Polypodium, and many of the species have been or sometimes are still included in that genus; further changes in the circumscription of the genus are expected as research continues.They are epiphytic, epipetric (growing on rocks), or rarely terrestrial ferns, with a creeping, densely hairy or scaly rhizome bearing fronds at intervals along its length. The fronds are evergreen, persisting for 1-2 years, and are entire or deeply pinnatifid. The sori or groups of spore-cases (sporangia) are borne on the back of the frond