generally, the family is pantropical, but due to the distribution of "pteridium" (the most widespread fern genus), dennstaedtiaceae can be found worldwide. "pteridium" is a well adapted early successional genus, generally described as a weed because of its ease of spread. the spore is light and robust, so it can travel relatively far and colonise open, disturbed environments easily. "dennsteadtia" is mostly tropical to warm-temperate, but not well represented in the amazon or africa. "oenotrichia" is in new caledonia. "leptolepia" is in new zealand, queensland (australia), and in new guinea. "microlepia" is in the asiatic-pacific. "paesia" occurs in tropical america, asia, and the western pacific. "hypolepis" is tropical and south-temperate. "blotiella" is strongly centered in africa. "histiopteris" is generally malesian, with one pantropic to south-temperate species.