The Schizaeales are an ancient lineage of ferns that includes three extant families: the climbing ferns (Lygodiaceae), the flowering ferns (Anemiaceae), and the grass or curlygrass ferns (Schizaeaceae). These groups had already diverged by the Late Jurassic and are considered among the earliest-evolving lineages of modern ferns. Today, members of Schizaeales are found across tropical regions, with scattered but distinctive distributions.

Schizaeaceae, commonly known as curlygrass ferns, are characterised by their slender, highly divided fronds and unusual reproductive structures. Their fertile fronds produce spores on thin, thread-like extensions that grow from the tips of long, narrow stalks, giving them a grass-like or fan-shaped appearance. Similar structures are found in the fossil genus Schizaeopteris, which closely resembles modern Schizaea but differs in the form of its spores.

While most modern ferns favour moist, shaded environments, curlygrass ferns are unusually tolerant of drier, sunlit conditions. Living Schizaea species are often found in open or lightly shaded habitats, typically on sandy or rocky soils. Given the morphological similarity, Schizaeopteris likely occupied a similar ecological niche as a groundcover fern in well-drained, open environments.