Greek makros, long, large, great,+ Thelypteris, a fern genus (thely, female,+ pteris, winged, the scientific name for ferns) (large lady fern).
Plants medium-sized to large, terrestrial. Stipes straw-colored to tan, cross section revealing 2 straplike, crescent-shaped vascular bundles. Blades 2-pinnate-pinnatifid to 3-pinnate-pinnatisect, linear-triangular. Pinnae subopposite or alternate, largest pinnae stalked, lowermost pinnae not smaller, costae and costules with short, septate, sharp-tipped hairs on abaxial surface. Veins free, sometimes forked. Sori indusiate. Indusia often small.
A genus of about ten species ranging from tropical to subtropical Asia, Australia, Malesia, Pacific islands, and Africa. Represented in Hawai'i by a single naturalized species.
