Vittariaceae
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Vittariaceae is a family of ferns in the order Pteridales. Members of the family are primarily epiphytic in tropical regions and all have simple leaves with sori that follow the veins and lack true indusia; the sori are most often marginal with a false indusium formed from the reflexed leaf margin. The family also includes a species, Vittaria appalachiana, that is highly unusual in that the sporophyte stage of the life cycle is absent. This species consists solely of photosynthetic gametophytes that reproduce asexually.
Genetic analyses based on chloroplast genes suggest that Adiantum is the closest relative of Vittariaceae.
