It contains six or seven genera with about 220 known species,[2] some of which also extend into the more temperate regions of eastern Asia, New Zealand, and South America.

One hypothesis for the relationships within the order is shown in the following cladogram:[5] Saccolomataceae Cystodiaceae Lonchitidaceae Lindsaeaceae remaining Polypodiales The genus Lonchitis has many morphological characteristics similar to Dennstaedtiaceae, but a few characteristics of the spore are similar to the lindsaeoid genera, and molecular data placed this genus in Lindsaeaceae.

[7] Sphenomeris Osmolindsaea Nesolindsaea Tapeinidium Odontosoria Lindsaea The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) recognized seven genera.

[10] The extinct genus Proodontosoria from the Cenomanian aged Burmese amber of Myanmar has been assigned to the family.

[11] Other fossil remains assigned to the family include an indeterminate leaf fragment also from the Burmese amber,[12] as well as a permineralized root from the Albian aged Aspen Shale of Wyoming.