Greek polys, many, + podion, little feet, alluding to the highly branching rhizomes that resemble many little feet.
Plants medium-sized, terrestrial. Rhizomes usually long-creeping, freely branching, scaly, scales linear-lanceolate, light-brown, peltate. Fronds erect. Stipes arising alternately in 2 rows on upper surfaces of rhizomes, articulate, straw-colored, after abscising leaving phyllopodia at base, scales as on rhizomes. Blades simple, pinnatifid or pinnatisect or fully 2-pinnate, linear to triangular, lobes oblong or linear-oblong, apexes usually obtuse. Veins free or reticulate. Sori round or oval, exindusiate, terminal on veins tips, in 1-2 rows.
A genus of perhaps 130 species, mostly in the New World Tropics and subtropics with a few species in temperate areas. Represented in Hawai'i by a single, highly variable endemic species with three varieties and two forms.
