Monilophytes (ferns): Leptosporangiate Ferns (true ferns): Polypodiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Polypodium appalachianum
FAMILY
Polypodiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more about Polypodium from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polypodium appalachianum
FAMILY
Polypodiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Polypodium appalachianum
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 014-01-001?:
Polypodium virginianum FAMILY Polypodiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Ferns of the Southeastern States (Small, 1938)
Polypodium virginianum
COMMON NAME:
Appalachian Rockcap Fern, Appalachian Polypody
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8046
April
Sori circular when immature, per Flora of North America.
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Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8065
April
Sori midway between margin and midrib to nearly marginal, per Flora of North America.
)
Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8072
April
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Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8075
April
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Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8084
April
)
Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8085
April
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Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_8514
April
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JK Marlow jkm060429_106
April Macon County NC
Nantahala National Forest: Wayah Ranger District
Nearly restricted to the Appalachian Mountains, per Weakley's Flora (2012).
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JK Marlow jkm060429_109
April Macon County NC
Nantahala National Forest: Wayah Ranger District
It is one parent of P. virginianum, per Weakley's Flora (2012).
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JK Marlow jkm140417_035
April Sevier County TN
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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JK Marlow jkm150424_788
April Blount County TN
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Lobes with narrowed tips [vs. lobes with blunt tips in P. virginianum], per Peterson Field Guide to Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America.
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JK Marlow jkm150424_789
April Blount County TN
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Blades widest near base [vs. evenly wide in P. virginianum], per Peterson Field Guide to Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America.
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Emily B. Sessa ebspappalachianum_2532
July
P. appalachianum & P. virginianum somewhat cryptic, and field id problematic, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Polypodium appalachianum
FAMILY
Polypodiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polypodium appalachianum
FAMILY
Polypodiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Polypodium appalachianum
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 014-01-001?:
Polypodium virginianum
FAMILY
Polypodiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Ferns of the Southeastern States (Small, 1938)
Polypodium virginianum
2064
Fern/Fern ally
Perennial
Habitat: Moist rocks at low to high elevations, especially in ravines, on north-facing outcrops, and in other moist sites, rarely epiphytic on tree trunks, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in NC Mountains, uncommon in Mountains of GA & SC (rare in Piedmont)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Pinnatifid
Leaves in linear rows on widely spreading and creeping rhizome
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p107
- Peterson Field Guide to Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America p196
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