Dryopteris marginalis

Dryopteris marginalis marginal fern

Overwintering, leathery, woodland fern growing in clumps among roots and rocks. Erect fronds emerge from a pile of last season's withered fronds. The sori of the marginal fern are located on the margins of the pinnae, thus the common name 'marginal'.

Habitat & Range

Abundant in rocky wooded slopes and ravines, edges of woods, and in shady well-drained soil.

Range is from Quebec to Michigan into PA, VA, TN, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Wetland Code: FACU

Phenology

This fern overwinters.

Characteristics

Fronds 12-39 in. long, overwintering.

Blade oblong, ascending and arching; leathery and evergreen, blue-green above, light green beneath. Cut into 15 to 20 pairs of pinnae.

Pinnae lance-shaped, widest at the base, rapidly tapering to a point at tip; more widely spaced in lower portion of blade; wide-spreading with tips curving upward with a short stalk. Cut into 20 or so pairs of deeply cut lobes or pinnules on lower pinnae; margins entire or slightly lobed, not toothed. Inner pinnule usually longer than adjacent ones on the same side of costa inner, lower pinnule longer than opposing upper pinnule.

Rachis pale, slightly chaffy underneath with smaller scales.

Stipe 1/4-1/3 length of frond, swollen at base, stout, brittle, grooved in front; bright golden brown scales, particularly at base; some scales slender and in dense tufts like fur.

Rhizome stout, ascending, shaggy with large golden-brown scales.

Sori near the margin, prominent, single or in well-spaced rows; dark brown when ripe in July or August. Indusium without glands.