| General Information |
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| Distribution | A genus of forty-five to fifty-five species, many rare, mainly in temperate regions and high-elevation Tropics, most common and diverse in Eurasia and North America.
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Habit
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Terrestrial, small to medium-sized, fleshy.
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Leaves
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Sterile fronds 1 to several per plant, spreading; stipe with horseshoe-shaped vascular bundle in cross section; blade fleshy, 1- to 3-pinnate, margin dentate; veins free; fertile spikes (when present) 2- to 3- pinnate, arising from bases of fronds, long-stalked.
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Notes
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Latin sceptrum, scepter, wand, baton, staff, rod, plus -idium, a diminutive suffix. The fertile spike resembles a small rod.
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Contributor
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Nancy Khan
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