Gleicheniales

The Gleicheniales is an order of ferns, also known as forking ferns. This group is considered relatively primitive, with a fossil record extending back to the Jurassic Period.1

Key characteristics of Gleicheniales include:
* Leaf Development: Their leaves often exhibit indeterminate growth, meaning they can continue to grow and branch, leading to long, creeping, and climbing structures.1
* Sporangia: The spore-producing structures (sporangia) are typically clustered in small, round, naked sori along the secondary veins.1
* Diversity: The family Gleicheniaceae, within this order, contains about 125 species across six genera. While most diverse in the Paleotropics, they are also found in warmer regions of the New World and often colonize open or disturbed areas.1