DRYOPTERIDACEAE

WOOD FERN FAMILY

Alan R. Smith and Thomas Lemieux

Perennial, in soil or rock crevices; rhizome generally short-creeping, suberect, or erect, scales large, generally tan to brown, generally 1-colored
Leaves generally tufted, 5–200+ cm, generally ± alike; petiole generally firm, base generally darker, with 2–many vascular strands; blade 1–4-pinnate, often with scales, hair-like scales, hairs (except clear, needle-like hairs generally 0), or short-stalked glands on axes, sometimes between veins, veins free to netted; 1° and 2° axes generally grooved on upper side
Sporangia: sori round, less often oblong or J-shaped, along or at tips of veins; indusia peltate, round-reniform, oblong to linear, J-shaped, hood-like, or cup-like, rarely 0; spores elliptic, winged, ridged, or spiny, scar linear
Genera in family: ± 60 genera, > 1000 species: worldwide, especially tropical, wooded areas. Woodsia sometimes in Woodsiaceae; Athyrium, Cystopteris sometimes in Athyriaceae.

DRYOPTERIS

WOOD FERN

Rhizome short-creeping or ascending to suberect, stout
Leaf: petiole > 1.5 mm wide, firm, more densely scaly than midrib, base in X -section with many round vascular strands in an arc; blade 1–3-pinnate or more, veins free, simple or forked; segments deeply pinnately lobed or not
Sporangia: sori round; indusium round-reniform, ± centrally attached at a sinus, generally persistent
Species in genus: ± 100 species: ± worldwide, especially eastern Asia
Etymology: (Greek: oak, fern)
Hybrids unknown in CA, frequent in eastern North America
Reference: [Montgomery & Paulton 1981 Fiddlehead Forum 8:25–31]

Native

D. arguta (Kaulf.) Maxon

Leaf 30–60(100+) cm, 12–18(30) cm wide; petiole, midrib minutely glandular; blade lanceolate, 1–2-pinnate, segments deeply pinnately lobed or not, teeth with bristle-like tips or not, veins running to teeth tips; longest 1° leaflets near base; scales of 1° leaflet midribs lance-ovate to ± linear
Chromosomes: 2n=82
Ecology: Locally common. Open, wooded slopes
Elevation: < 2500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, Southwestern California, Modoc Plateau (caves in Lava Beds National Monument)
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Arizona
Horticultural information: DRN: 4, 5, 6, 17 &SHD: 7, 15, 16, 18 &IRR: 2, 8, 9, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.