Kingdom Plantae Order Polypodiales Genus Woodwardia Higher classification Woodwardia | Division Pteridophyta Family Blechnaceae Scientific name Woodwardia areolata Rank Species | |
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Similar Woodwardia, Woodwardia virginica, Asplenium platyneuron, Phegopteris hexagonoptera, Thelypteris noveboracensis | ||
Woodwardia areolata (netted chain fern) is a species of fern native to eastern North America. It is usually treated in the genus Woodwardia, in the eupolypods II clade of the order Polypodiales, in the class Polypodiopsida. It is sometimes transferred to the monotypic genus Lorinseria as Lorinseria areolata (L.) C.Presl, on the basis of its anastamosing veins and lobed frond form, as well as its more marked frond dimorphism; however, the genus name Lorinseria is invalid, being an orthographical variant of Lorinsera Opiz (Flora of North America).
The sterile fronds are 40–60 cm long, and the fertile fronds 50–70 cm long.
It is superficially similar to Onoclea sensibilis and sometimes confused with it.
Distribution and Habitat
This species is native to the southeast United States, but ranges all the way up the East Coast of the United States and Canada to southern Nova Scotia. It favors moist, sandy, acid soils, and has appeared in areas in the interior of the US around acid mine seeps, thus being one of the few species to benefit from acid mine drainage.
