Rhizomes long, creeping; fronds 30-130 cm long, monomorphic or dimorphic; blades
pinnatifid to pinnate-pinnatifid, ovate-deltoid to ovate-triangular; sori oblong in chain-like rows.
1A); leaves have slender petioles and entire or
pinnatifid blades; coenanthia are round-shaped or elliptical, being supported by a long peduncle (Carauta, 1978; Fig.
Agardh's order Fucoidae, and contains 62 species partitioned into seven unnamed groups recognizable by the following morphological characters: (i) axillary receptacles and whole leaves; (ii) axillary receptacles and
pinnatifid leaves; (iii) vesicules and leaves of small size (Microphylla); (iv) terminal receptacles; (v) leafy vesicles, and spatulate and inflated leaves; (vi) axes flattened,
pinnatifid and foliar, and axillary vesicles and receptacles; (vii) leaves without midribs, receptacles marginal and fixed to leaves, and solitary capsules in each tubercule.
(1.) Leaves strongly dimorphic; sterile leaf blades
pinnatifid and net veined, fertile leaf blades 2-pinnate and forming a bead-like cluster ..............
Leaves rosulate; pseudopetiolate; blades elliptic to ovate, pinnately veined, margin entire to lyrate or
pinnatifid, glabrous to pubescent.
Rachis straw-colored to greenish; leaves palmately compound or
pinnatifid (both leaf types often present on same plant); terminal leaflets from 4-13 cm long: Pteris
Petals white, rudimentary, or absent; uppermost leaves auriculate or sagittate, 6 entire, dentate,
pinnatifid, or pinnatisect 6(5).
Sessile, cauline leaves (sometimes improperly called "ligules" on Gunnera): (0) absent; (1) like other leaves, but smaller and sessile; (2) small, straplike; (3) small, shieldlike; (4) budlike; (5)
pinnatifid to laciniate.
The frond (leaf blade) of this hybrid is pinnate except for the apex which is usually deeply lobed (
pinnatifid).
Leaves
pinnatifid to pinnatisect, 1-3.5(-6) cm wide; flowering stems considerably longer than leaves; seeds 2.5-3.5 x 1.5-2 mm ...
("ascending"); sporophyll apically dilated into a
pinnatifid,
Leaves monomorphic, sterile and fertile (sporulating) leaves similar in appearance and both
pinnatifid (deeply lobed); leaves evergreen.