Petalophyllaceae

Terrestrial, dioicous with male and female plants similar size or male plants sometimes smaller than female plants. Specialised asexual propagules absent. Tubers sometimes produced abaxially at axis apex. Plants comprising a simple or furcate thallus; thallus with a central multistratose axis, with wings on both sides, without air chambers, without air pores, with or without (not in Victoria) erect adaxial lamellae on the wings, light green; wings undulate, undissected or only partly incised, unistratose away from central axis; lamellae multistratose at base, otherwise unistratose; thallus cells quadrate to elongate, thin-walled, without distinct trigones, with numerous minute oil bodies. Abaxial scales triangular, in two rows on central axis, ciliate or lobed, crimson. Rhizoids abundant on abaxial axis, smooth, hyaline or brownish. Antheridia in 2 or 3 rows along the central axis, protected by extensions of the lamellae or by perigonial scales (not in Victoria). Sporophytes enclosed by a shoot calyptra and pseudoperianth, clustered together adaxially on central thallus axis near apex; pseudoperianth tubular-campanulate, plicate, with or without (not in Victoria) irregular wings, sinuate (not in Victoria) to deeply lobed with dentate to ciliate margins at mouth; involucres absent. Seta short, on a bulbous foot. Capsule globose, 2–4 layered, with cell wall thickening in all cell layers, dehiscing irregularly; elaters present, 2–6-spiral. Spores globose, areolate, light to dark red-brown or orange (not in Victoria), shed singly.