1	"Plants free-floating or sometimes on soil around water seeps; sori produced on submerged leaves or submerged leaf axis"	Salviniaceae
1	"Plants anchored to substrate"	2
2	"Leaves basal, linear, terete (often grass-like)"	3
2	"Leaves borne on stem, or if basal, flattened and narrowing towards base"	5
3	"Leaves flattened at base; sporangia solitary, enclosed within swollen leaf-bases"	"Isoetaceae {Isoetes}"
3	"Leaves rounded at base; sporangia grouped, not enclosed in swollen leaf-bases"	4
4	"Leaves stout, fleshy; sporangia borne in small cone terminal on leafless fleshy stalk"	Lycopodiaceae
4	"Leaves slender, coiled when young; sporangia enclosed in hard, globular structure attached to rhizome"	Marsileaceae
5	"Lamina divided into 4 leaflets (clover-like); sporangia in hard, globular or bean-shaped structure attached to rhizomes (aquatic or at edge of water)"	Marsileaceae
5	"Lamina variously divided or undivided, not as above; sporangia not inside hardened structure"	6
6	"Sporangia borne in axils of leaves; leaves sparse or crowded along stem, usually spiralled (but flattened into one plane in Lycopodium scariosum and Selaginella kraussiana)"	7
6	"Sporangia borne on margin or lower surface of lamina or fertile spike; plants bearing fronds"	9
7	"Sporangia in fused groups of 2 or 3, borne in axil of forked leaf"	Psilotaceae
7	"Sporangia borne in small cones (strobili) or singly in axils of normal leaves"	8
8	"Leaves without ligule; spores of one kind"	Lycopodiaceae
8	"Leaves ligulate; spores of 2 kinds, larger and smaller (megaspores and microspores)"	"Selaginellaceae {Selaginella}"
9	"Sporangia borne on a spike or long-stalked, comb-like structure"	10
9	"Sporangia scattered or aggregated into groups on undersurface of lamina, not as above"	11
10	"Fronds divided from near base into distinct vegetative and fertile structures; sterile lamina broad and leaf-like"	Ophioglossaceae
10	"Fronds bearing comb-like sporangial structures or sterile, narrow and wiry throughout"	"Schizaeaceae {Schizaea}"
11	"Fronds with paired branches forking several times, with (usually dormant) buds within the angle of each fork; pinnules narrowly oblong or semicircular"	Gleicheniaceae
11	"Fronds variously divided or entire, but not as above"	12
12	"Lamina delicate, translucent, only 1 cell thick for the greater part; sori borne in tubular, funnel-shaped or roundish 2-lipped indusia (epiphytes or on rocks)"	Hymenophyllaceae
12	"Lamina membranous to leathery, opaque; sori with or without indusium; indusi variously shaped"	13
13	"Ferns with trunk of any sort"	14
13	"Ferns without trunk"	19
14	"Lamina once pinnate"	Blechnaceae
14	"Lamina 2-several times pinnate"	15
15	"Primary and secondary rachis grooves confluent"	Athyriaceae
15	"Primary and secondary rachis not confluent, or rachis not grooved"	16
16	"Lamina 2-pinnate"	17
16	"Lamina 3-pinnate"	18
17	"Stipe and rachis with numerous soft scales; sporangia small, grouped into circular sori with round, centrally stalked indusium"	Dryopteridaceae
17	"Stipe and rachis without scales; sporangia large, in masses on undersurface of leaf, without indusium"	"Osmundaceae {Todea}"
18	"Frond bases rough or spiny, with narrow scales; sori between midvein and margin, with or without indusium"	"Cyatheaceae {Cyathea}"
18	"Frond bases smooth, with fine hairs; sori marginal, with 2-lipped indusium"	Dicksoniaceae
19	"Fronds simple"	20
19	"Fronds once to several times pinnate, or variously lobed"	21
20	"Fertile and sterile fronds not markedly different, never almost terete; lamina glabrous or with stellate hairs"	Polypodiaceae
20	"Fertile and sterile fronds dissimilar, the fertile narrow and almost terete, sterile fronds broader and flat; lamina glabrous"	Blechnaceae
21	"Fronds once pinnate; sori linear to oblong, either discontinuous or continuous, in 1 or more rows parallel to midvein, if marginal then pinnae narrowed and almost covered by sori"	Blechnaceae
21	"Fronds once to several times pinnate or variously lobed; sori round or, if linear or oblong, either oblique to midvein or marginal on unspecialized frond"	22
22	"Lamina pinnately lobed (i.e. pinnae not divided to rachis)"	Polypodiaceae
22	"Lamina once to many times pinnate"	23
23	"Stolons producing globular tubers; lamina once pinnate, pinnae oblong or lanceolate, not further lobed;  indusium reniform or round"	"Lomariopsidaceae {Nephrolepis cordifolia}"
23	"Plants not producing tubers; lamina not as above; indusium shape variable or absent"	24
24	"Sori marginal"	25
24	"Sori on lamina surface"	29
25	"Indusia opening away from the centre of the pinnae"	26
25	"Indusia or modified pinnae margin opening towards the middle of pinnae (but may be towards the margin of individual lobe in Asplenium)"	28
26	"Indusia pouch-shaped, opening at one end only; rhizome long-creeping over substrate"	"Davalliaceae {Davallia}"
26	"Indusia round or elongate, attached along one side only; rhizome subterranean"	27
27	"Sori protected by spherical indusium and recurved pinnae lobetogether creating cup-like structure (although indusium may be hidden in mature sori)"	Dicksoniaceae
27	"Sori protected by narrow and flap-like indusium, attached along one edge"	"Lindsaeaceae {Lindsaea}"
28	"Rhizome creeping or semi-erect, covered in scales, unbranched, if branched fronds less than 100 cm long"	Pteridaceae
28	"Rhizome long-creeping, covered with hairs, or if with scales rhizome branched and fronds 60–200 cm long"	Dennstaedtiaceae
29	"Sori not protected by indusium or modified leaf margin, even when immature"	30
29	"Sori protected by indusium or modified leaf margin, at least when immature"	35
30	"Mature fronds less than 30 cm tall"	31
30	"Mature fronds more than 30 cm tall"	33
31	"Lamina sparsely to (usually) densely covered in colourless to rust-coloured hairs"	Aspleniaceae
31	"Lamina glabrous"	32
32	"Fronds delicate, erect, 5–12 cm tall; sporangia clustered irregularly along veins; annuals"	Pteridaceae
32	"Ferns firm in texture, often pendent, 5–25 cm long; sporangia grouped into oval sori which are arranged in a single row either side of midvein; perennials"	Polypodiaceae
33	"Lamina 3–4-pinnate"	Dennstaedtiaceae
33	"Lamina 1–2-pinnate"	34
34	"Lamina 2-pinnate; sporangia not arranged in sori, clustered around veins; widespread in gullies and along streams, usually with a thick fibrous butt"	"Osmundaceae {Todea}"
34	"Lamina once pinnate to almost 2-pinnate; sporangia arranged in round sori; rare, on limestone in south-west of State"	Thelypteridaceae
35	"Indusium elongate, attached along one edge to lateral nerve, oblique to midvein"	36
35	"Indusium hemispherical, pouch-shaped, kidney-shaped or ovate, attached centrally or at base, or united with lamina along both sides and opening terminally"	37
36	"Rhizome scales with netted pattern; major vein(s) usually raised on upper surface of pinnae"	Aspleniaceae
36	"Rhizome scales without netted pattern; major vein(s) not raised on upper surface"	Athyriaceae
37	"Undersurface of rachises with scales, bristles or hairs"	38
37	"Undersurface of rachises without scales or hairs"	39
38	"Fronds 2–4-pinnate; rachis groove flanked by prominent ridges"	Dryopteridaceae
38	"Fronds once pinnate (but deeply lobed to almost 2-pinnate); rachis groove not flanked by 2 prominent ridges"	Thelypteridaceae
39	"Lamina membranous and dull, 1–2-pinnate; rhizome short, subterranean, fronds clustered near tip"	Cystopteridaceae
39	"Lamina shiny and stiff, 2–3-pinnate; rhizome long-creeping along surface of substrate, fronds distant"	"Davalliaceae {Davallia}"