Greek ktenos, comb+ -itis, like, similar to; the meaning is obscure.

Plants medium-sized to large, terrestrial. Rhizomes decumbent to erect. Fronds, rachises, and costae bearing whitish to reddish brown, chainlike hairs (2-4 cells long, less than 0.4 mm long, jointed, with blunt tips). Stipes straw-colored, clothed with acuminate, clathrate, pale to dark brown scales; cross section at base reveals a semicircular arrangement of small, round vascular bundles. Blades 2-pinnate to 3-pinnate-pinnatifid. Veins free, forked or pinnate, often bearing chainlike hairs on adaxial surface. Sori round, indusiate or exindusiate, medial to marginal.

A genus of about 150 species in tropical and south-temperate areas, and scattered in northern warm-temperate areas of Asia. Represented in Hawai'i by two endemic species.

KEY TO THE SPECIES OF CTENITJS IN HAWAI'I
1. Blades and rachises densely covered with short, chainlike hairs; blades ovatedeltate; ultimate segment tips obtuse; all major islands ......... 1. C. latifrons

1. Blades and rachises densely covered with appressed, pale, tan scales; blades elongate-deltate; ultimate segment tips acute; all major islands except Hawai 'i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. C. squamigera