Rhode island Ferns page 3

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Purple Cliffbrake
Botanical Name:
  
Pellaea atropurpurea 
Common Name:
  
Purple Cliffbrake
Habitat:
  
Crevices in limestone
Spores can be found:
  
6/26 — 10/29
 
State Status:
  
SE
Sites in State:
  
1
Counties found in:
  
Providence
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Stipe dark, pinnae or pinnules oval.
 
 
Northern Beech Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Phegopteris connectilis
Common Name:
  
Northern Beech Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist woods
Spores can be found:
  
7/9 — 9/27
 
State Status:
  
ST
Sites in State:
  
3
Counties found in:
  
Providence; Kent
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Arrow-shaped fronds often horizontal. First cutting not complete except between first and second pinnae. Likes stream banks and waterfalls.
 
 
Broad Beech Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Phegopteris hexagonoptera 
Common Name:
  
Broad Beech Fern
Habitat:
  
Moist woods
Spores can be found:
  
7/24 — 9/24
 
State Status:
  
R
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
Providence, Kent, Washington
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Frond shape nearly equilateral triangle. First cutting not complete anywhere. Basal pinnae much more dissected than others.
 
 
Appalachian Rock Polypody
Botanical Name:
  
Polypodium appalachianum 
Common Name:
  
Appalachian Rock Polypody
Habitat:
  
On rocks or thin soil over rocks
Spores can be found:
  
4/11 — 11/1
 
State Status:
  
R
Sites in State:
  
1
Counties found in:
  
Providence
 
Common Rock Polypody spores
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Broad triangular evergreen fronds with pointed pinnae.
 
 
Hybrid Polypody
Botanical Name:
  
Polypodium appalachianum X virginianum (P. X incognitum) 
Common Name:
  
Hybrid Polypody
Habitat:
  
On rocks or thin soil over rocks
Spores can be found:
  
 
State Status:
  
R
Sites in State:
  
3
Counties found in:
  
Providence (1941, 2010), Newport (2011)
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Like parents, perhaps larger, with aborted white spores (Oct. - Nov.)
 
 
Common Rock Polypody
Botanical Name:
  
Polypodium virginianum 
Common Name:
  
Common Rock Polypody
Habitat:
  
On rocks or thin soil over rocks
Spores can be found:
  
4/11 — 11/1
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Common Rock Polypody
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Narrow bitapering fronds with rounded pinna tips. Thoreau's "cheerful communities".
 
 
Christmas Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Polystichum acrostichoides 
Common Name:
  
Christmas Fern
Habitat:
  
Rich soil in woodlands and on rocky hillsides
Spores can be found:
  
7/2 — 9/2
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Christmas Fern spores
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Dark evergreen fern, pinnae with upward "ears" along rachis, fertile pinnae towards tip are smaller.
 
Christmas Fern spores      
 
 
Clute's Bracken Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Pteridium aquilinum ssp. pseudocaudatum
Common Name:
  
Clute's Bracken Fern
Habitat:
  
Dry woodlands and fields
Spores can be found:
  
7/7 — 9/25
 
State Status:
  
Possibly in RI
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
 
 
Eastern Bracken Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Pteridium aquilinum v. latiusculum
Common Name:
  
Eastern Bracken Fern
Habitat:
  
Dry woodlands and fields
Spores can be found:
  
7/7 — 9/25
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Eastern Bracken Fern
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Horizontal three-part blade. Fronds emerge singly. Stipe deeply grooved. Seldom fertile.
     
Eastern Bracken Fern      
 
Eastern Bracken Fern spores      
 
 
New York Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Thelypteris novoboracensis 
Common Name:
  
New York Fern
Habitat:
  
Open woodlands
Spores can be found:
  
7/26 — 9/22
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Bitapering, pinnae nearly to ground, becoming very tiny.
 
 
Marsh Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Thelypteris palustris 
Common Name:
  
Marsh Fern
Habitat:
  
Woodlands with moist soil, swamps and marshes
Spores can be found:
  
8/2 — 10/11
 
State Status:
  
C
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Blade widest near base, long brown stipe. Veins forked in sterile fronds.
 
 
Massachusetts Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Thelypteris simulata 
Common Name:
  
Massachusetts Fern
Habitat:
  
Deciduous woodlands with moist soil
Spores can be found:
  
8/3 — 9/27 (10/6)
 
State Status:
  
O
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Massachusetts Fern
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Frond shape intermediate between Marsh and New York ferns, with lower pinnae reduced somewhat. Lower pinnae narrow toward rachis.
 
 
Rusty Woodsia
Botanical Name:
  
Woodsia ilvensis 
Common Name:
  
Rusty Woodsia
Habitat:
  
Rocky slopes, cliffs and ledges
Spores can be found:
  
(6/18) 7/8 — 10/4
 
State Status:
  
SH
Sites in State:
  
0 (1977)
Counties found in:
  
Providence
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Very scaly small fern
 
 
Blunt-lobed Woodsia
Botanical Name:
  
Woodsia obtusa 
Common Name:
  
Blunt-lobed Woodsia
Habitat:
  
On rocks in woodlands in sun or shade
Spores can be found:
  
7/16 — 10/29
 
State Status:
  
U
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
Providence, Kent, Washington, Newport
 
Blunt-lobed Woodsia
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Stipes quite scaly.
 
Blunt-lobed Woodsia on ledge      
 
Blunt-lobed Woodsia spores      
 
 
Netted Chain Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Woodwardia areolata 
Common Name:
  
Netted Chain Fern
Habitat:
  
Swamps and wet woods
Spores can be found:
  
7/28 — 10/14
 
State Status:
  
U
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
 
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Like Sensitive fern, but pinnae edges finely toothed, not scalloped. Tall fertile fronds like sterile, but much narrowed.
 
 
Virginia Chain Fern
Botanical Name:
  
Woodwardia virginica 
Common Name:
  
Virginia Chain Fern
Habitat:
  
Marshes and swamps in shade or sun
Spores can be found:
  
7/22 — 9/19
 
State Status:
  
O
Sites in State:
  
—
Counties found in:
  
All
 
Virginia Chain Fern spores
Notes from Don Lubin:
  
Fronds grow in distinct lines, not clusters. Stipe and rachis dark, blade twice-cut like Cinnamon fern, but pinnae narrow toward rachis.
 
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