Dryopteris carthusiana

(Vill.) H.P.Fuchs

Spinulose Wood Fern

Dryopteridaceae

Dryopteris carthusiana is a species of fern in the family Dryopteridaceae. It is native to much of northern North America and Eurasia. It is a species derived from hybridization that became fertile after chromosome doubling; one parent is Dryopteris intermedia but the other one is apparently now extinct (FNAEC 1993).

Dryopteris carthusiana

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Description

Dryopteris carthusiana is a deciduous fern, with leaves dropping off before winter. Leaves are 2- or 3-pinnate-pinnatifid and ovate. Leaves are 15 to 75 cm long and 10 to 30 cm wide, on a stipe that is a quarter or third the length of the entire leaf. The stipe is sparsely covered with tan scales at the base. Pinnae (leaflets) are lanceolate-oblong; leaflets at the base of the leaf are slightly reduced in size. For the basal pair of leaflets, the lowest pinnules (sub-leaflets) are longer on the side closer to the base of the leaf. Margins of the leaves have sharply pointed teeth. Sori are borne approximately in the center between the midvein and the margin (FNAEC 1993).

In North America, Dryopteris carthusiana may be confused with Dryopteris campyloptera. In D. carthusiana the lowest pinnule (sub-leaflet) is longer but not much wider on the basiscopic side (closer to the base of the leaf) compared to the acroscopic side (on the upper side of the leaflet), but in D. campyloptera the lowest basiscopic leaflet is both significantly longer and wider than the lowest acroscopic leaflet, as well as being more offset from the opposite leaflet. Dryopteris carthusiana is also similar to Dryopteris intermedia, but that species is evergreen and has stems and indusia with glandular hairs, while the former two lack glandular hairs (or have very few of them) (“Dryopteris: Dichotomous Key”).

Uses

Note: Please see the disclaimer regarding any information about medical or edible uses.

Dryopteris carthusiana can be grown as an ornamental in woodland or native plant gardens. It prefers moist, humusy, well-drained soils in part to full shade, and grows in USDA zones 3 to 8 (MBG).

Distribution

Dryopteris carthusiana grows in moist wooded areas, such as along streams and swamps, and conifer plantations. In North America, it is distributed from the Yukon, east to South Carolina and to New Brunswick (FNAEC 1993). In Eurasia, it is found across much of continental Europe, east to Siberia, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang, China (Hassler 2022).

Status

References

Dryopteris: Dichotomous Key. 2019. [accessed 2021 May 20]. <a>https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/dkey/dryopteris/#all</a> FNAEC (Flora of North America Editorial Committee), editor. 1993. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 2: Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. New York: Oxford University Press. Hassler, M. 2022. World Ferns. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Version 13.2; last update 2022 July 2. [accessed 2022 Jul 12]. <a>www.worldplants.de/ferns/</a> MBG (Missouri Botanical Garden), Dryopteris intermedia. Plant Finder. [accessed 2021 May 20]. <a>https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=285659</a>

Description

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