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Polystichum acrostichoides — Christmas fern

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

The pinnae (leaflets) of Christmas fern are distinctive as they have a lobe that has the appearance of a toe of a christmas stocking. The fiddleheads are also distinctive, with silvery, white scales.

Habitat

Forests, talus and rocky slopes

Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf divisions
the leaf blade is compound (divided into leaflets)
Plant growth form
the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
Spore-bearing leaflets
the spore-bearing fronds are slightly different from the sterile fronds
Sorus shape
the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
Leaf stalk scales
the leaf stalk has scales
Leaf stalk hairs
there are no hairs on the leaf stalk
Leaf blade length
15–70 cm
Leaf vein tips
the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
Show all characteristics

  • Growth form

    Life form
    the plant is herbaceous and terrestrial
    Life stage
    the plant is visible as a typical leaf-bearing fern (sporophyte)
    Spore-bearing leaflets
    the spore-bearing fronds are slightly different from the sterile fronds

  • Leaves

    Features of leaves
    there are no special features on the leaves
    Leaf blade length
    15–70 cm
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blades are long and very narrow (linear)
    • the leaf blades are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)
    Leaf blade tip shape
    the tip of the leaf blade is a sharp point (acute)
    Leaf blade width
    At least 4 cm
    Leaf divisions
    the leaf blade is compound (divided into leaflets)
    Leaf lifespan
    the leaves remain green all year round, or are green in winter
    Leaf stalk color
    green
    Leaf stalk hairs
    there are no hairs on the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk length
    86–227 mm
    Leaf stalk relative length
    • the leaf stalk is more than a quarter, but less than three quarters as long as the blade
    • the leaf stalk is up to a quarter as long as the blade
    Leaf stalk scale location
    the scales are present on both the lower and upper halves of the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk scales
    the leaf stalk has scales
    Leaf stalk vessels
    3 to 9 bundles
    Leaf vein branching
    the secondary veins of the leaf blade branch dichotomously (two equal branches at each branch point)
    Leaf vein tips
    the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
    Leaflet relative size
    the bottom leaflets are about half as long as, to slightly longer than, the leaflets from the middle of the frond
    Leaflet stalks
    the leaflets are stalked
    Lobe or leaflet length
    20–60 mm
    Lobe or leaflet pairs
    10–35
    Lobe or leaflet shape
    • the lobe or leaflet is rectangular but with rounded ends (oblong)
    • the lobe or leaflet is widest below the middle and tapering at both ends; lance-shaped
    Lobe or leaflet width
    3–25 mm
    Plant growth form
    the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
    final leaf segment margin
    the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has an edge with teeth tipped with bristles

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • forests
    • talus or rocky slopes

  • Spores or spore cones

    Sorus features
    there are no special features on the sorus
    Sorus shape
    the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
    Sporangia location
    the spores are clustered on sori on the lower surface of the leaf blade
    Sporangium type
    the sporangia are opaque without an annulus and usually without a stalk (leptosporangiate)
    Spore forms
    there is only one type of spore present

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

var. acrostichoides

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

Native to North America?

Yes

Synonyms

  • Nephrodium acrostichoides Michx.

Family

Dryopteridaceae

Genus

Polystichum

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

1.  Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott N

Christmas fern. Nephrodium acrostichoides Michx. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Found in a variety of mesic forest types, especially those on rocky slopes.

1×2. Polystichum acrostichoides × Polystichum braunii → Polystichum ×‌potteri Barrington is a rare fern hybrid known from MA, ME, VT. Morphologically this nothospecies closely resembles P. braunii (i.e., the leaf blades 
are twice-divided in the basal portion and leaves are ± monomorphic). It is best 
identified by its abortive spores and prominent first acroscopic leafules (simulating the 
acroscopic auricle on the leaflets of P. acrostichoides). Additionally, it differs from 
 P. braunii with its leaflets that do not diminish in size toward the base as much and its sparser petiole scales.