Woodsia

Description

Woodsia is a genus of ferns in the order Polypodiales. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), it is the only genus in the family Woodsiaceae, placed in the suborder Aspleniineae. The family can also be treated as the subfamily Woodsioideae of a very broadly defined family Aspleniaceae sensu lato. Species of Woodsia are commonly known as cliff ferns. Woodsiaceae formerly included the members of the families Athyriaceae and Diplaziopsidaceae, but analysis has consistently shown that they should be treated as separate families.