OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

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Most habitat and range descriptions were obtained from Weakley's Flora.

Your search found 39 taxa in the family Aspidiaceae, a fern family, as understood by Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.

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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Southern Lady Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Athyrium asplenioides   FAMILY: Athyriaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Athyrium asplenioides 011-01-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Moist forests

Common

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Northern Lady Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Athyrium angustum   FAMILY: Athyriaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Moist forests, rock outcrops on grassy balds at high elevations

Rare

Native

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Silvery Glade Fern, Silvery Spleenwort

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Deparia acrostichoides   FAMILY: Athyriaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Deparia acrostichoides   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Athyrium thelypterioides 011-01-002   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Moist forests, cove forests

Common in Mountains, uncommon in Piedmont, rare in Coastal Plain

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Glade Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Diplaziopsis pycnocarpa   FAMILY: Diplaziopsidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Diplazium pycnocarpon   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Athyrium pycnocarpon 011-01-003   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Very nutrient-rich, loamy or seepy forests, over calcareous sedimentary (such as limestone or dolostone) or mafic metamorphic or igneous rocks (such as greenstone or amphibolite)

Uncommon in NC Mountains (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon Common Name: Japanese Painted Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Anisocampium niponicum   FAMILY: Athyriaceae

 

Habitat: Suburban woodlands, lawns; commonly planted as an ornamental, rarely naturalizing. This common suburban ornamental (forma picta) spreads locally from plantings; it seems only a matter of time before it begins to naturalize more widely

Rare

Non-native: Japan

 


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camera icon Common Name: Japanese Lady Fern, Japanese false spleenwort

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Deparia petersenii   FAMILY: Athyriaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH (ORTHOGRAPHIC VARIANT) PLANTS National Database: Deparia petersonii   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Swamp forests, wet hammocks, moist banks, disturbed areas

Uncommon in Coastal Plain (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Non-native: southeast Asia

 


drawing of Woodsia ilvensis, Rusty Cliff Fern, Rusty Woodsia need picture of Woodsia ilvensis, Rusty Cliff Fern, Rusty Woodsia need picture Woodsia ilvensis, Rusty Cliff Fern, Rusty Woodsia need picture of Woodsia ilvensis, Rusty Cliff Fern, Rusty Woodsia need picture of Woodsia ilvensis, Rusty Cliff Fern, Rusty Woodsia
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speaker icon Common Name: Rusty Cliff Fern, Rusty Woodsia

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Woodsia ilvensis   FAMILY: Woodsiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Woodsia ilvensis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Woodsia ilvensis 011-02-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Cliffs of amphibolite, greenstone, other rocks

Rare

Native to North Carolina

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Appalachian Woodsia, Appalachian Cliff Fern, Mountain Woodsia

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Woodsia appalachiana   FAMILY: Woodsiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Woodsia appalachiana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Woodsia scopulina 011-02-002   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: On cliffs of sandstone, shale, granite, granitic gneiss, and hornblende gneiss

Rare

Native to North Carolina & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Blunt-lobed Cliff Fern, Common Woodsia

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Woodsia obtusa ssp. obtusa   FAMILY: Woodsiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Woodsia obtusa ssp. obtusa   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Woodsia obtusa 011-02-003   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Rock outcrops of various sorts, moist talus, terrestrial near rock outcrops

Common (rare in Coastal Plain)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Lowland Bladder Fern, Spreading Bladder Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cystopteris protrusa   FAMILY: Cystopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Cystopteris protrusa   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Cystopteris protrusa 011-03-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Rich woods or on moss- and soil-covered talus in boulderfields, occasionally on ledges of rock outcrops

Common in Mountains of GA & NC, uncommon in SC Mountains & in NC Piedmont (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Bulblet Bladder Fern, Bulblet Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cystopteris bulbifera   FAMILY: Cystopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Cystopteris bulbifera   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Cystopteris bulbifera 011-03-002   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Moist outcrops and talus of calcareous rocks, rarely up to 1500 m elevation

Uncommon in Mountains of GA & NC (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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Common Name: Tennessee Bladder Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cystopteris tennesseensis   FAMILY: Cystopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Cystopteris tennesseensis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Cystopteris tennesseensis 011-03-003   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Moist to dry outcrops of calcareous rocks, including coquina limestone (‘marl’) in the outer Coastal Plain

Rare

Native to North Carolina & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Fragile Fern, Brittle Fern, Brittle Bladder Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cystopteris fragilis   FAMILY: Cystopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Cystopteris fragilis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Cliffs, ascending in our area to 1650 m

Rare

Native to North Carolina

 


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camera icon Common Name: Mackay's Bladder Fern, Mackay's Fragile Fern, Upland Bladder Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cystopteris tenuis   FAMILY: Cystopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Cystopteris tenuis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Moist outcrops and cliffs of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, occasionally in moist soils near rock outcrops or moist soil banks

Uncommon in NC Mountains (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Marginal Woodfern, Marginal Shield-fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris marginalis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris marginalis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris marginalis 011-04-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Rock outcrops, boulderfield forests, other rocky forests

Common in Mountains, uncommon to rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Evergreen Woodfern, Fancy Fern, Intermediate Woodfern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris intermedia   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris intermedia   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris intermedia 011-04-002   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Cove forests, other moist, rocky forests, over a variety of substrates

Common in Mountains, uncommon to rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Spinulose Woodfern, Toothed Woodfern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris carthusiana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris carthusiana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris spinulosa 011-04-003   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Acidic, organic-rich bogs, swamps, less frequently in moist rocky ravines, rich forests, and sloping rock outcrops

Rare

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Mountain Woodfern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Dryopteris campyloptera   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris campyloptera   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris campyloptera 011-04-004   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Spruce-fir forests, northern hardwood forests

Uncommon in NC Mountains

Native to North Carolina

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Crested Woodfern, Crested Shield-fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris cristata   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris cristata   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris cristata 011-04-005   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Bogs, swamp forests

Uncommon in NC Mountains (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to North Carolina & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Southern Woodfern, Southern Shield-fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris ludoviciana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris ludoviciana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris ludoviciana 011-04-006   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Blackwater swamp forests, hammocks

Common in GA & SC Coastal Plain (uncommon in NC)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon Common Name: Southern Woodfern, Southern Shield-fern, Dixie Woodfern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Dryopteris australis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris ×australis [celsa × ludoviciana]   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Swamps, bottomlands, mesic forests

Rare

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Log Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris celsa   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris celsa   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris celsa 011-04-007   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Swamps, seepage bogs, and calcareous floodplains, typically associated with calcareous substrates

Uncommon in NC Coastal Plain (rare elsewhere)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Goldie's Woodfern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Dryopteris goldieana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Dryopteris goldiana   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Dryopteris goldiana 011-04-008   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Boulderfield forests, rich cove forests, seepage swamps, especially over calcareous sedimentary or mafic metamorphic or igneous rocks

Uncommon in Mountains (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon Common Name: Autumn Fern, Japanese Red Shield-fern, Japanese Shield-fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Dryopteris erythrosora   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Suburban woodlands, especially in ravines and along creeks

Uncommon in GA Piedmont, rare elsewhere

Non-native: Japan, China & Korea

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Christmas Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Polystichum acrostichoides   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Polystichum acrostichoides   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Polystichum acrostichoides 011-05-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Moist to dry forests and woodlands, especially slopes, ravines, and small stream bottomlands

Common

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon Common Name: Japanese Holly-fern, Asian Net-veined Holly Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cyrtomium falcatum   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Cyrtomium falcatum   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Ditches, disturbed swamps, moist ravines, old mortar of brick walls

Rare

Non-native: east Asia

 


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camera icon Common Name: Fortune's Holly-fern, Fortune's Net-veined Holly Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Cyrtomium fortunei   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS National Database: Cyrtomium fortunei   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Roadside banks, rock outcrops, old mortar of brick walls

Rare

Non-native: southeast China

 


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camera icon Common Name: Northern Beech Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Phegopteris connectilis   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS National Database: Phegopteris connectilis   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Thelypteris phegopteris 011-06-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Moist cliffs where wet by spray from waterfalls (at medium elevations), also on high elevation cliffs wet by seepage and in spruce-fir forests, northward in cool ravines and on swamp borders

Rare

Native to North Carolina

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Broad Beech Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Phegopteris hexagonoptera   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Phegopteris hexagonoptera   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Thelypteris hexagonoptera 011-06-002   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Mesic to submesic forests

Common (uncommon in Coastal Plain)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: New York Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Amauropelta noveboracensis   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris noveboracensis   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Thelypteris noveboracensis 011-06-003   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Mesic forests, bottomland forests, bogs, submesic forests

Common (uncommon to rare in Coastal Plain)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


drawing of Coryphopteris simulata, Bog Fern, Massachusetts Fern need picture of Coryphopteris simulata, Bog Fern, Massachusetts Fern need picture Coryphopteris simulata, Bog Fern, Massachusetts Fern need picture of Coryphopteris simulata, Bog Fern, Massachusetts Fern need picture of Coryphopteris simulata, Bog Fern, Massachusetts Fern
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Common Name: Bog Fern, Massachusetts Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Coryphopteris simulata   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris simulata   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

 

Habitat: In NC and WV in acid peat bogs at about 1000 meters in elevation, in DE, NJ, and VA in acid seepage swamps in the Coastal Plain

Rare

Native to North Carolina

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Kunth's Maiden-fern, Southern Shield-fern, Southern Woodfern

Weakley's Flora: (4/13/22) Pelazoneuron kunthii   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris kunthii   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Thelypteris kunthii 011-06-004   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Coquina limestone (‘marl’) outcrops, calcareous bluffs and sinkhole slopes, also adventive on and around coquina limestone (marl) riprap around small bridges and ditches and in suburban forests

Common in Coastal Plain of GA & SC (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to the Coastal Plain of SC & GA (naturalized elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

 


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Common Name: Ovate Maiden Fern, ovate marsh fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Pelazoneuron ovatum var. ovatum   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris ovata var. ovata   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

 

Habitat: On coquina limestone (‘marl’) or in disturbed, calcareous areas

Rare

Native to South Carolina & Georgia

 


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Common Name: Hairy Maiden Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/14/23) Christella hispidula   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

INCLUDING PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris hispidula var. versicolor   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

 

Habitat: Hammocks, limesinks, moist forests, streamsides, on soil in disturbed areas, and on mortar / masonry

Uncommon in GA Coastal Plain (rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

Native to South Carolina & Georgia (introduced in NC)

 


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camera icon Common Name: Downy Maiden-fern, Soft Fern, Downy Shield-fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Christella dentata   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris dentata   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

 

Habitat: Moist forests, hammocks, streambanks, swamps, disturbed areas

Rare

Non-native: tropical & subtropical Asia & Africa

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Marsh Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/13/22) Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Thelypteris palustris 011-06-005   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Bogs, marshes (including freshwater tidal marshes), and bottomland forests

Common (uncommon in Mountains)

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Mariana Maiden-fern, Swordfern, False Maiden-fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Macrothelypteris torresiana   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS National Database: Macrothelypteris torresiana   FAMILY: Thelypteridaceae

 

Habitat: Wet hammocks, cypress swamps, streamsides, moist forests, disturbed areas, increasingly invasive in natural habitats (especially in the southern parts of our area)

Uncommon (rare in NC) (rare in SC Mountains)

Non-native: Asian & African tropics

 


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camera icon speaker icon Common Name: Sensitive Fern, Bead Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Onoclea sensibilis   FAMILY: Onocleaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS National Database: Onoclea sensibilis   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968): Onoclea sensibilis 011-07-001   FAMILY: Aspidiaceae

 

Habitat: Marshes, swamps, ditches, wet disturbed places

Common

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

 


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camera icon Common Name: Narrow Sword Fern, Tuber Sword Fern, Fishbone Fern, Ladder Fern

Weakley's Flora: (4/24/22) Nephrolepis cordifolia var. cordifolia   FAMILY: Nephrolepidaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS National Database: Nephrolepis cordifolia   FAMILY: Dryopteridaceae

 

Habitat: Swamps and hammocks, disturbed moist and wet areas; probably not native in FL (or other states of the Southeastern US)

Rare

Non-native

 


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"Yes, we need playing fields and skateboard parks, but put them where they belong, on already urbanized land.... Prize the natural spaces and shorelines most of all, because once they're gone, with rare exceptions they're gone forever." — Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods