dennstaedtiaceae was previously considered the only family the order dennstaedtiales. dennstaedtiaceae now contains the previously defined families monachosoraceae ching, pteridiaceae ching, and hypolepidaceae pic. serm. before smith's classification in 2006, dennstaedtiaceae was a poly- and para- phyletic family, containing genera that now are classified within lindsaeaceae and saccolomataceae, and with the family monachosoraceae arising from within the dennstaedtiaceae clade. the nonmonophyletic nature of dennstaedtiaceae (pre-2006 classification) was proved and supported by multiple molecular studies. dennstaedtiaceae as now classified is supported as monophyletic, but the relation of the genera within the family have not yet been fully clarified.