Fronds herbaceous or somewhat leathery, not markedly stiff nor coriaceous, the pinnules without caudate apices, lobes normally rounded, the bullate scales well developed.

1. Fronds more divided, 2- to 3-pinnate.

2. Fronds 3-pinnate at least at the base, the basiscopic pinnules next to the rachis on the lowest pinnae variable in length, often longer than adjacent pinnule.

3. Indusia absent, the blade herbaceous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43. D. gymnosora

3. Indusia present, the blade thin leathery.

4. Rhizome creeping, spinulose teeth of segments mostly turning up from plane of frond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39. D. cystolepidota

4. Rhizome ascending to erect, the spinulose teeth of segments usually poorly developed, not turning up from the plane of the frond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44. D. hondoensis

2. Fronds 2-pinnate to 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, the basiscopic pinnule next to the rachis on the lowest pinnae typically shorter than adjacent pinnule.

5. Stipe and rachis scales often broadly ovate-lanceolate, shining red-brown or rust color, the costa scales very irregularly shaped, the larger pinnules conspicuously eared on both sides and attached by a short  winged stalk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38. D. championii

5. Not with this combination of characters.

6. Pinnules or segments short rectangular-oblong, broadly adnate except sessile next to the rachis on lower pinnae; indusia to 3 mm in diameter; rarely cultivated species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42. D. fuscipes

6. Not with this combination of characters; indusia 2 mm or less in diameter.

7. Pinnae typically distant, stipe and rachis pink-purplish, sori typically submarginal; very rarely cultivated species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45. D. purpurella

7. Pinnae adjacent or overlapping, stipe and rachis not pink-purplish (or rarely so); commonly cultivated species.

8. Blade mostly elongate-ovate to oblong, less frequently triangular, abruptly tapering to the apex,    spreading and arching, the pinnules or segments mostly linear triangular to narrow triangular, their apices blunt acute, bullate scales many on rachis, the sori usually closer to the midrib than medial; very variable species (particularly in degree of pinnule lobing) and difficult to separate from D. hondoensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41. D. erythrosora

8. Blade mostly triangular, gradually tapering to the apex, erect and slightly arching, the pinnules or segments narrow triangular or oblong, their apices mostly rounded, bullate scales fewer on rachis, sori medial (in the wild, larger older plants with the blade more divided, to 3-pinnate or nearly so, and the proximal pinnae conspicuously stalked; this seldom seen in U.S. garden plants) . . . . . . . 44. D. hondoensis