Psilotopsida is a class of
ferns or fern-like plants, considered to be one of the three classes of
eusporangiate ferns. It should not be confused with the obsolete class
Psilophytopsida. As circumscribed by Smith
et al., 2006, Psilotopsida contains two families,
Psilotaceae and
Ophioglossaceae, placed in orders
Psilotales and
Ophioglossales, respectively. The affinities of these two groups have long been unclear and a close relationship between them has only recently been confirmed through molecular systematic studies. Some studies show that Psilotopsida is the sister-group to all other ferns (including
Marattiaceae and
Equisetaceae), but others indicate that Equisetaceae is more basal.