Abstract Rocky outcrops are known for low humidity, rainfall and high solar radiation, factors that limit the development of some vegetables. However, some species of the genus Anemia occurring in these environments. Thus, understanding the anatomical characters present in these vegetables are important for botanical and biodiversity knowledge in rock fields. We described the leaf anatomy of six species of Anemia to identify characters adapted to rocky outcrops for ferns. Herbarium samples were rehydrated. Field-collected leaves, were also sampled, the material was subjected to standard anatomical study by light microscopy, and secretions were evaluated by histochemical of the secondary compounds, with ruthenium red, tannic acid, ferric chloride, lugol, Sudan black B, vanillin/hydrochloric acid, Dragendorff’s reagent and ponceau xylidine. Histochemical tests were positive for phenolic compounds, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and proteins in A. buniifolia, A. oblongifolia, A. presliana, and A. trichorhiza. Our findings revealed that several structural and histochemical characters of Anemia with trichomes, conical stegmatas, phenolic compounds, mucilages and alkaloids are related to reducing water loss, providing an adaptive value to species in extreme environments, such as rocky outcrops, in addition to new data relevant to the group taxonomy, such as the presence of amphistomatic leaves in A. trichorhiza.