Greek depas, cup or bowl, alluding to the marginal, cup-shaped sori of the first described
species of this genus (Deparia prolifera), which are actually atypical in the genus.

Plants small to medium-sized, occasionally large, terrestrial. Rhizomes erect to longcreeping. Stipes grooved, with multicellular hairs, scales and hairlike scales; cross sections at bases reveal ends of 2 ribbon-shaped vascular bundles (appearing as linear and parallel lines). Blades 1- to 2-pinnate, triangular to lanceolate, chartaceous to herbaceous; rachises adaxially grooved, the grooves not opening to those of pinna rachises, hairy or scaly as are stipes and costae. Pinnae and pinnules with multicellular, septate hairs and hair like scales at bases. Veins free, forked or pinnate, not reaching margins. Sori linear alongveins or extending beyond margins, sometimes paired along both sides of a vein. Indusia same shape as sori, cup-shaped if sori extending beyond margins.

A genus of about forty species widespread in tropical and warm-temperate parts of the Old World, east to Hawai 'i and with one species in North America. Represented in Hawai 'i by four endemic and one naturalized species.

KEY TO THE NATIVE AND NATURALIZED DEPARIA SPECIES IN HAWAI'I

1. Blades appearing hairy with multicellular septate hairs, scales, and hairlike scales; never proliferous; rhizomes slender, 3-4 mm diam.; all major islands .............................................. 4. D. petersenii

1. Blades not appearing hairy; proliferous or not; rhizomes more than 1.5 cm diam. (2).

2(1). Fronds small, usually less than 30 cm long; pinnae short-stalked; pinnae, segments, and veins arranged obliquely; Kaua'i, Maui, Hawai'i . 2. D. kaalaana

2. Fronds medium-sized to large, usually 35-110 cm long; pinnae sessile or very short-stalked; pinnae, segments, and veins not arranged obliquely (D. fenzliana with oblique lobes) (3).

3(2). Stipe base scales persistent, dark brown to black, linear-lanceolate; fronds never proliferous; all major islands ........................ 1. D. fenzliana

3. Stipe bases usually almost naked with only scattered, soon deciduous scales; fronds usually proliferous (4).

4(3). Blades not or minimally narrowed at base; sori variable, medial and elongate, submarginal to marginal and short-linear, or globose and protruding from pinnule margins; all major islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. D. prolifera

4. Blades narrowed at base; sori variable, medial to submarginal, elongate; Kaua'i, Moloka'i, Uina'i, Maui, Hawai'i .................. 3. D. marginalis