Greek lepis, scale, + soros, heap, in reference to the peltate paraphyses that cover the
young sori.

Plants epiphytic, epipetric, or terrestrial. Rhizomes short-creeping, bearing narrow, dark
brown scales. Fronds articulated to rhizomes. Stipes usually short. Blades simple, linear to
lanceolate, coriaceous, entire. Veins obscure, anastomosing, forming irregular areoles with
free, included, branching veinlets. Sori exindusiate, round or oblong, in 1 row on each side
of costae, covered (when young) with peltate paraphyses.

A genus of up to forty species widely distributed in tropical and subtropical parts of the
Old World and Asia to eastern Russia. Represented in Hawai 'i by a single indigenous species.