Fronds uniform to somewhat dimorphic, 1–3-pinnate; veins free, or sometimes loosely reticulate; pinnae shrivel when dried.
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Fronds 1-pinnate, sometimes the lowermost pinnae further divided; fronds often somewhat dimorphic | 2 |
| Fronds 2–3-pinnate, sometimes 1-pinnate in the upper half of the frond; fronds not markedly dimorphic | 6 |
| 2 | Pinnae fan-shaped or rhombic | 3 |
| Pinnae lanceolate to ± ovate; veins loosely anastomosing
Back to 1 | Lindsaea fraseri |
| 3 | Veins anastomosing | Lindsaea obtusa |
| Veins free
Back to 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Stipe and rachis red-brown to black | Lindsaea linearis |
| Stipe and rachis straw-coloured
Back to 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Fertile pinnae and median sterile pinnae attached asymmetrically | Lindsaea brachypoda |
| Pinnae fan-shaped
Back to 4 | Lindsaea dimorpha |
| 6 | Lamina of fronds linear, <1.5 cm wide | Lindsaea incisa |
| Lamina of fronds oblong or triangular-oblong, 2–6 cm wide
Back to 1 | 7 |
| 7 | Stipe straw-coloured, except at the very base; lamina yellowish green, 3-pinnatifid | Lindsaea microphylla |
| Stipe reddish brown; lamina dark green, 2-pinnate at least at base, upper pinna pinnatifid
Back to 6 | Lindsaea trichomanoides |
