The spores of Dryopterioideae from Taiwan were studied with scanning electron microscope. Eight genera and 45 species were observed. The spores were monolete and ellipsoidal to somewhat global. The spore macro-ornamentations were mostly rugate, tuberculate, cristate and reticulate, few are echinate. Surface micro-ornamentations observed were granulate, echinulate, fenestrate, sharp columellate, scale, and rugate. Based on observed spore ornamentation similarities and differences, the following points toward current different classification systems can be made: The echinulated spore ornamentation found in Tectaria and Dryopsis were quite different from others being studied and this result supported that Dryopterioid ferns are different from Tectarioid ferns. Lastreopsis have similar spore ornamentation with genera in Dryoterideae, but not Tectarioid ferns. The result agreed with molecular data but not traditional classification. Few species of Dryopteris had their distinct spore ornamentations and may be better classified into a subgenus in Dryopteris. One group of Polystichum had spore ornamentation quite different from other groups and this group may be classified into a subgenus of Polystichum. The spore ornamentations support that Cyrtomium be included in Polystichum.

Spore morphology of Polypodiaceae and Grammitidaceae from Taiwan were studied with light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Totally 18 genera and 62 species were observed. Polypodiaceae spores are ellipsoidal and monolete except Loxogramme grammitoides; with spore ornamentation tuberculate, verrucate, echinate, globule, rugate, undulate, foveolate and/or vermiculate. Grammitidaceae spores are global, trilete with spore ornamentation granulate, tuberculate and/or globules. The spore surface ornamentation can be used as taxonomic characters in Polypodiaceae and Grammitidaceae at familial, genera and species levels. Based on spore characters, Polypodiaceae and Grammitidaceae can be differentiated, Loxogrammeae and Drynariaeae are not separable from the rest of Polypodiaceae, and the current classification system of Lepisorieae and Microsoreae are not .internal consistent.