Desmophlebium

The family and genus were erected in 2016, following a molecular phylogenetic study. It was shown that the species previously known as Diplazium lechleri was sister to a clade formed by the families Hemidictyaceae and Aspleniaceae, considerably removed from the Athyriaceae where it had previously been classified. Accordingly, a new genus and family were created and Diplazium lechleri transferred to Desmophlebium lechleri. Another species was added to the genus on the basis of its morphology.[3]

The generic name refers to the distinctive thickened vein running just inside the edge of a pinna (submarginal) connecting the ends of other veins. The authors derived it from the Greek δεσμός, desmos, meaning 'band', combined with φλεβός, phlebos, meaning 'vein'.[3] (Phlebos is the genitive of φλέψ, phleps, 'vein'.[4])

In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), the family Desmophlebiaceae is a member of the subclass Polypodiidae (the leptosporangiate ferns), order Polypodiales, suborder Aspleniineae – a group known informally as "eupolypods II".[1] A consensus cladogram showing one hypothesis for its relationship to other families in the suborder is:[1]