Etymology Named for Joseph Woods, 1776-1864, an English botanical author.

Description Rhizome: creeping to erect, scales.
Frond: deciduous, monomorphic.
Stipe: persistent base, vascular bundles: 2, round or oblong.
Blade: 1-2 pinnate-pinnatifid, linear to ovate, herbaceous, hairs on both surfaces, rarely absent.
Pinnae: lowest somewhat reduced, sessile or nearly so, pinnules mostly opposite, costae grooved above, grooves continuous from rachis to costae, segments entire to dentate, veins free, simple or forked, ending before the margin.
Sori: round, in 1 row between midrib and margin, indusium: cup-like or dissected into several filamentous or scalelike segments encircling sorus, persistent but often obscure, basal, surrounding, sporangia: brownish.