Ferns: Is your plant in one of these subgroups?
Please go through the subgroups in order.
![Plant form: Polypodium virginianum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Polypodiaceae/polypodium-virginianum-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Sori: Cystopteris bulbifera. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Woodsiaceae/cystopteris-bulbifera-so-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Plant form: Dennstaedtia punctilobula. ~ By William Cullina. ~ Copyright © 2025 William Cullina. ~ bill[at]williamcullina.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Dennstaedtiaceae/dennstaedtia-punctilobula-ha-wcullina.jpg)
![Plant form: Asplenium rhizophyllum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Aspleniaceae/asplenium-rhizophyllum-ha-ahaines.jpg)
![Leaf: Botrychium simplex. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-simplex-le-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Plant form: Botrychium virginianum. ~ By Ben Kimball. ~ Copyright © 2025 Ben Kimball. ~ alpinefin[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-virginianum-ha-bkimball.jpg)
![Leaf: Marsilea quadrifolia. ~ By Cheryl Lowe. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Marsileaceae/marsilea-quadrifolia-le-clowe.jpg)
![Plant form: Woodsia ilvensis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Woodsiaceae/woodsia-ilvensis-ha-ahaines.jpg)
![Leaf: Woodwardia areolata. ~ By John Lynch. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Blechnaceae/woodwardia-areolata-le-jlynch-b.jpg)
True ferns and moonworts
Ferns, moonworts, and Adder's-tongues with obvious leaves
Key characteristics
Many true ferns have highly dissected, feathery leaves. Look for spores on the underside of a leaf or on a separate leaf or specialized portion of leaf. Spores look like brownish dust when ripe. The structures bearing spores are often grouped into clusters called sori. Sometimes sori are covered with a special flap of tissue on the edge of a leaf, or take the shape of beads or goblets.
Exceptions
You'll never see a flower on a fern! Some flowering plants have very feathery leaves, so look carefully to see if flowers or fruits are present.
Video about this subgroup
True ferns, moonworts
![Plant form: Dendrolycopodium dendroideum. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2025 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Lycopodiaceae/dendrolycopodium-dendroideum-ha-mlovit-a.jpg)
![Vegetative leaves: Dendrolycopodium dendroideum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Lycopodiaceae/dendrolycopodium-dendroideum-tr-ahaines-d.jpg)
![Plant form: Huperzia appressa. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Huperziaceae/huperzia-appressa-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Branches: Huperzia lucidula. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2025 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Huperziaceae/huperzia-lucidula-br-mlovit-a.jpg)
![Plant form: Huperzia lucidula. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Huperziaceae/huperzia-lucidula-ha-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Plant form: Isoetes echinospora. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2025 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Isoetaceae/isoetes-echinospora-ha-mlovit.jpg)
![Vegetative leaves: Isoetes echinospora. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Isoetaceae/isoetes-echinospora-tr-ahaines.jpg)
![Vegetative leaves: Isoetes lacustris. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Isoetaceae/isoetes-lacustris-tr-ahaines.jpg)
![Plant form: Lycopodium lagopus. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Lycopodiaceae/lycopodium-lagopus-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
Clubmosses and relatives, plus quillworts
Plants in the families Lycopodiaceae or Isoetaceae
Key characteristics
These are spore-bearing plants with simple, unlobed, often scale-like leaves. Many grow along the ground attached by horizontally running shoots. They may have single upright stems, or be branched and look like miniature trees. Some species (e.g., spikemosses) look like true mosses with tiny leaves. The quillworts (Isoetes species) are small aquatic plants that resemble chives.
Exceptions
You may need to look carefully for the spores, which are sometimes tucked down inside the leaves.
Video about this subgroup
Clubmosses, relatives + quillworts
![Plant form: Equisetum arvense. ~ By John Lynch. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-arvense-ha-jlynch.jpg)
![Leaves and nodes: Equisetum arvense. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-arvense-ln-ahaines-f.jpg)
![Plant form: Equisetum hyemale. ~ By Frank Bramley. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-hyemale-ha-fbramley-a.jpg)
![Plant form: Equisetum scirpoides. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-scirpoides-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Leaves and nodes: Equisetum sylvaticum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-sylvaticum-ln-ahaines-c.jpg)
Horsetails and scouring-rushes
Primitive plants in the genus Equisetum, lacking true leaves
Key characteristics
Horsetails and scouring-rushes are primitive, spindly-looking plants, often growing in moist places, which reproduce by spores aggregated into a spore cone at the top of the stem. Whorls of tiny, teeth-like leaves occur at the top of the sheath and are found at each node. Note the color and number of teeth on the top of the leaves that make up the sheath. Note whether there are whorls of branches on the main stem, and whether the main stem is hollow. Sometimes spore cones are produced on separate, un-branched stems.
Exceptions
Some horsetails can be very small with unusually curly stems. Look at several plants to be sure whether all stems are un-branched or not.
Video about this subgroup
Horsetails, scouring-rushesMy plant isn't in these subgroups.