Greek dikranos, two-pronged, + pteris, fern, alluding to the forking pattern of the frond.

Plants large, forming large, tangled colonies, terrestrial. Rhizomes long-creeping with waxy, translucent hairs and fibrils arising from small, ovate, waxy scales. Fronds scandent, often very long due to indeterminate growth. Stipes round, dark brown or bluish, glabrous. Blades several times forked, first and all other (secondary) rachises lacking segments, dormant buds present in forks covered with hairs and enfolded by small pinnae. Pinnae pectinate. Ultimate segments linear, coriaceous, basal segments of pinnae often enlarged and pinnatifid. Veins 2- to 6-forked. Sori exindusiate, sporangia 8-15.

A pantropical genus of about twelve species, most strongly represented in Malesia. Represented in Hawai 'i by a single indigenous species including an endemic form.

The unusual growth habit and frond architecture of Dicranopteris (and Sticherus) warrants elaboration. Some members of the family Gleicheniaceae do not form typical fern fronds and are characterized by their pattern of indeterminate growth, in which the fronds have the potential to continue lengthening indefinitely, forming characteristic tangled masses. In Dicranopteris, the bluish main stipe emerges from the underground rhizome erect, unbranched, and topped by an uncoiling fiddlehead. At some point, it ceases lengthening. At its terminus is a dormant (sometimes abortive) bud enclosed by a pair of small, leafy segments. At this point, two straight secondary rachises, devoid of segments, emerge below the dormant bud and grow outward at a 45° angle from the main bud. Soon, these secondary rachises also stop growing and are likewise topped by dormant buds enclosed by leafy segments. Branching from the secondary rachises is usually repeated for one or two more divisions before the frond terminates in large, leafy segments. Meanwhile, the main dormant bud becomes activated and lengthens to start the entire growth pattern anew. This branching pattern is usually repeated for one or two more divisions and sometimes more under ideal circumstances.