Rhode Island Ferns page 2

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Silvery Spleenwort
Botanical Name:
  
Deparia acrostichoides 
Common Name:
  
Silvery Spleenwort or Silvery Glade Fern
Habitat:
  
Rich woodlands
Spores can be found:
  
7/22 — 9/8 (9/24)
 
State Status:
  
F
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
Providence, Kent, Washington, Newport
 
Silvery Spleenwort close up of pinnae
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Oblong pinnules of equal length. Long white hairs on stipe.
 
of hairs on stipe      
 
 
Spinulose Wood Fern close-up
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris carthusiana 
Common Name:
  
Spinulose Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Wet or dry woodlands
Spores can be found:
  
6/27 — 10/11
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Spinulose Wood Fern close up of spore cases
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Turns brown late in fall. Lowest downward pinnule along stipe usually longest.
 
Spinulose Wood Fern      
 
 
Clinton's Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris clintoniana 
Common Name:
  
Clinton's Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist woodlands
Spores can be found:
  
7/8 — 9/8
 
State Status:
  
R
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
Providence
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Larger than D. cristata, with longer pinnules less blunt. Fertile pinnae twist less.
 
Notes from Fran Underwood:
Clinton's Wood Fern-fertile frond
Clinton's Wood Fern originated as a naturally occurring hybrid of Crested Wood Fern (D. cristata) and Goldie's Fern (D. goldiana). Clinton's differs from Crested in a few characteristics; the pinnae are longer and more narrowly triangular than in Crested. Also, at least in the sterile fronds of Clinton's, the blades are more abruptly narrowed at the tip, similar to its Goldie's Fern parent. Both parent ferns have separate fertile and sterile fronds and in both cases, the sterile fronds are evergreen and the fertile fronds are not.
 
Clinton's Wood Fern-complete plant      
 
 
Crested Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris cristata 
Common Name:
  
Crested Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Swamps and wetlands
Spores can be found:
  
7/8 — 9/8
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Crested Wood Fern Spore cases
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Narrow fronds, basal pinnae nearly equilateral triangles. Fertile pinnae twist nearly to horizontal.
 
Crested Wood Fern with spore cases      
 
Crested Wood Fern--complete plant      
 
 
Goldie's Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris goldiana 
Common Name:
  
Goldie's Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Rich woodlands
Spores can be found:
  
7/8 — October
 
State Status:
  
Possibly in RI
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Fronds often tall, with wide pinnae. Frond and pinnae acuminate at apex.
 
 
Intermediate Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris intermedia 
Common Name:
  
Intermediate Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Woodlands
Spores can be found:
  
6/25 — 9/12
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Intermediate Wood Fern
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
"Fancy"-cut clustered fern of dry hillsides and rocks. Lowest downward pinnule along stipe generally shorter than adjacent pinnule.
 
 
Marginal Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris marginalis 
Common Name:
  
Marginal Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Rocky woods
Spores can be found:
  
7/8 — 10/13
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Marginal Wood Fern
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Evergreen fern likes rocks. Stipes very scaly. Pinnule edges untoothed. Sori at very edge of pinnule.
 
Marginal Wood Fern sori      
 
Marginal Wood Fern spore cases      
 
 
Botanical Name:
  

Dryopteris X bootii
(cristata x intermedia) 
Common Name:
  
Boot's Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet woods
Spores can be found:
  
7/2 — 10/11
 
State Status:
  
U
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
Providence, Washington, Bristol
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Basal pinnae not quite so blunt as D. cristata, more dissected.
 
 
Burgess' Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris X burgessii (clintoniana x marginalis) 
Common Name:
  
Burgess' Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet woods and swamps
Spores can be found:
  
7/8 — 10/13
 
State Status:
  
Possibly in RI
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
 
 
Slosson's Wood fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris x slossonae (cristata x marginalis) 
Common Name:
  
Slosson's Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet rocky woods
Spores can be found:
  
July to October
 
State Status:
  
R
Sites in State:
  
2
Counties found in:
  
Providence, Bristol
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Sori not quite at pinnule margin. Basal pinnae not quite so blunt as D. cristata. Deformations common.
 
 
Hybrid Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris X triploidea (carthusiana x intermedia) 
Common Name:
  
Hybrid Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet woods and swamps
Spores can be found:
  
6/26 — 10/17
     
State Status:
  
U
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
Bristol, Providence, Washington, Newport
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Very common, looks like parents, but often a bit taller.
 
 
Marsh Wood Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Dryopteris X uliginosa (carthusiana x cristata) 
Common Name:
  
Marsh Wood Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet woods and swamps
Spores can be found:
  
6/26 — 10/17
 
State Status:
  
U
Sites in State:
  
1
Counties found in:
  
Providence
 
March Wood Fern Lower pinnae
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
 
Marsh Wood fern
 
 
 
Common Oak Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Gymnocarpium dryopteris 
Common Name:
  
Common Oak Fern
Habitat:
  
Rich woodlands, moss covered wall
Spores can be found:
  
6/16 — 9/9
 
State Status:
  
ST
Sites in State:
  
3
Counties found in:
  
Providence; Kent
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Three-part frond, like small delicate Bracken.
 
 
Hartford Climbing Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Lygodium palmatum 
Common Name:
  
Hartford Climbing Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist woodlands in swamps and river flood plains
Spores can be found:
  
7/22 — 10/3 (11/19)
 
State Status:
  
SC
Sites in State:
  
6
Counties found in:
  
Providence; Kent; Washington
 
Hartford Climbing Fern fertile fronds
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Palmate pinnae become miniature at fertile tips. Can climb 20 feet. Likes sun.
 
 
Ostrich fern
Botanical Name:
  
Matteuccia struthiopteris 
Common Name:
  
Ostrich Fern
Habitat:
  
Rich woods along flood plains also in swamps
Spores can be found:
  
7/12 — September
 
State Status:
  
SC
Sites in State:
  
5
Counties found in:
  
Providence; Kent
 
Ostrich Fern
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Very erect vase-shaped clusters. Fronds widest near apex. Pinnules tiny down nearly to ground.
 
 
Sensitive Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Onoclea sensibilis 
Common Name:
  
Sensitive Fern
Habitat:
  
Marshes, swamps and other wet areas
Spores can be found:
  
7/15 — 9/1
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Sensitive Fern Spore cases
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Coarse rounded fronds not cut entirely to rachis. Sterile fronds short, like beaded stalks with no leaf.
 
 
Northern Adder's Tongue
Botanical Name:
  
Ophioglossum pusillum 
Common Name:
  
Northern Adder's-tongue
Habitat:
  
Wet fields, meadows, swamps
Spores can be found:
  
7/4 — 9/15
 
State Status:
  
SE
Sites in State:
  
1
Counties found in:
  
Washington
 
Northern Adder's Tongue fertile frond
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Short, hides in grass. Look for the fertile fronds. Sterile fronds have no midvein.
 
 
Cinnamon Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Osmunda cinnamomea 
Common Name:
  
Cinnamon  Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet woods
Spores can be found:
  
5/23 — 7/14 (8/13)
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Cinnamon Fern
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Dramatic fertile fronds generally have no green leaf. Sterile frond and pinna apex acute.
 
Cinnamon Fern spore cases      
     
Fiddleheads of the Cinnamon Fern      
     
Close up of fiddlehead      
     
 
Interrupted Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Osmunda claytoniana 
Common Name:
  
Interrupted Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist to wet woods
Spores can be found:
  
(5/31) 6/6 — 8/24 (9/7)
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Interrupted Fern fruiting bodies
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Frond and pinna apex blunt. Fertile plants easily recognized, if you can find any.
 
 
Royal Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Osmunda regalis 
Common Name:
  
Royal Fern
Habitat:
  
Wet to mesic soils, swamps and occasionally in dry fields
Spores can be found:
  
(5/30) 6/12 — 9/25
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Royal Fern spore cases
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Likes wet feet. Oval pinnae, looks more like locust than a fern. Fertile pinnae at frond tips.
 
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