Transformational Gardening

Northern Lady Fern (Narrow Lady Fern, Subarctic Lady Fern, Common Lady Fern) (Athyrium angustum) (Also known as: Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum): Images

Date Location Notes Images
June 12, 2012 Southeastern, New Hampshire This was my first difficult fern as far as the ID. The important thing to look for is the sori are long and almost straight, but often with a slight curve. The fronds grow in circular clusters and have a relaxed (hanging down) tip. The stipe is smooth with scattered brown scales. Base of stipe dark red-brown and swollen. Blade widest in the middle.
Key:
  • Sporangium with well-developed annulus forming a complete or near complete ring. Usually bearing 16-64 spores only.
  • Sori not located at the margin.
  • Leaves not evergreen nor once-pinnate.
  • Sori not immediately adjacent to the costa, but adjacent to the veinlets.
  • Scales on the stem not lattice-like.
  • Plants without needle-like, unicellular, transparent hairs.
  • Leaves monomorphic or weakly dimorphic
  • Veins reaching margin of leaf segments.
  • Indusium broad linear, hooked or horseshoe-shaped. (Family: Woodsiaceae)
  • Basal leaflets not noticably larger than the adjacent pair.
  • Indusium linear, hooked at one end or horseshoe-shaped (not short and inconspicuous). (Genus: Athyrium)
  • Leaf blade green (not varigated or suffused with gray to silver).
  • Leaf blade elliptical, broadest at or just below the middle. Petiole scales black-brown.
Date Location Notes Images
May 30, 2014 Southeastern, Connecticut