Matoniaceae is one of the three
families of ferns in the
Gleicheniales order of the
Polypodiopsida class. Fossil records reveal that Matoniaceae ferns were abundant during the
Mesozoic era (about 250-million to 66-million years ago), during which they lived on every continent, including
Antarctica, with eight genera and 26 species. Today the family is much less abundant, and also less diverse, with only two extant genera and five species, which are limited to portions of southeastern Asia.