Abstract: The spore morphology of 65 species of 19 genera representing Dryopteridaceae and its allies were investigated by light microscopy , and 30 species of 12 genera among them were also investigated by scanning electron microscopy . The spores of Dryopteridaceae are monolete , bilaterally symmetrical, and the aperture is 1/2 - 3/4 of the spore in length. The polar outline is ellipsoidal to subsphaeroidal , and the equatorial longitudinal view is kidney-shaped . The value of P/E ranges from 0.60 to 0.86. The size of spore varied from medium to large . SEM observations showed that perine was present. There are diversified spore ornamentations in Dryopteridaceae : echinate, tuberculate , granulate , lophate , fenestrate, auriculate, lamellate and alate . Furthermore , there exist intermediate types . The relationships among genera in the Dryopteridaceae are discussed based on spore morphology . The results implied that : (1 ) Acrorumohra , Nothoperanema , and Peranemaceae were closely related to Dryopteris; ( 2) Leptorumohra , Phanerophlebiopsis and Lithostegia were closely related to Arachniodes . ( 3) The similar spore ornamentations shared by Sorolepidium and some species of Polystichum suggested Sorolepidium be considered as part of Polystichum . (4) Cyclopeltis was supported to be excluded from the Dryopteridaceae because of its unique alate spore ornamentation .

Key words: Dryopteridaceae