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Key to Dryopteridaceae

Dryopteridaceae

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1 Leaf blades pentagonal in outline, ca. 1× as long as wide, the terminal pinna by far the largest; [introduced species, naturalized in moist ravines in SC]
1 Leaf blades lanceolate, oblong, or ovate in outline, 1.5× or more as long as wide.
  2 Costae rounded or flat on the upper surface; costae with dense, multicellular hairs
  2 Costae grooved on the upper surface; costae lacking hairs.
    3 Indusium reniform, attached laterally and with a sinus on one side
      4 Rhizomes creeping, leaves single; leaf blade < 40 cm long
      4 Rhizomes erect or ascending, leaves clustered; leaf blade > 40 cm.
        5 Veins anastamosing, rejoining to form a netlike pattern; pinnae 4-25 pairs per leaf; [non-native, rarely naturalized]
        5 Veins branching dichotomously, free, not rejoining to form a netlike pattern; pinnae 25-50 pairs on larger leaves; [plant a common native species]

Key A5: small ‘fern-like’ pteridophytes, terrestrial, growing in soil, not associated with rock outcrops

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1 Leaf blades appearing to be digitate (the segments arising at a single point); [FL peninsula]
1 Leaf blades pinnate or pinnatifid (in various degrees); [collectively widespread]
  2 Petiole branched once dichotomously, each branch then bearing 3-7 pinnae on the same side of the 2 rachis branches, the overall outline of the blade in the shape of a fan and often broader than long
  2 Petiole not branched dichotomously, the outline of the blade either longer than broad or triangular and about as wide as long.
    3 Leaves pinnatifid or bipinnatifid, most of the pinnae not fully divided from one another (the rachis winged by leaf tissue most or all of its length).
      4 Sporangia borne on an erect stalk that arises at or above ground level from the petiole of the sterile leaf blade (joining the petiole of the sterile leaf above the rhizome)
      4 Sporangia either borne on normal leaf blades or on specialized (fertile) leaves separate from the rhizome.
        5 Leaves monomorphic, the sori borne on normal leaf blades
        5 Leaves dimorphic, the sori borne on leaves significantly different from normal leaves.
          6 Fertile leaf woody, with bead-like segments; margins of sterile pinnae entire, often wavy or the lowermost even somewhat lobed; pinnae mostly with obtuse apices, tending to be borne oppositely
          6 Fertile leaf stiff but herbaceous, the pinnae linear, not at all bead-like; margins of sterile pinnae finely serrulate, otherwise slightly wavy or straight; pinnae mostly with acute apices, tending to be borne alternately
    3 Leaves pinnate, pinnate-pinnatifid, 2-pinnate, or even more divided (the rachis naked for most of its length, often winged in the apical portion).
             7 Leaves broadly triangular in outline, about as broad as long.
               8 Sporangia borne on an erect stalk that arises at or above ground level from the petiole of the sterile leaf blade (joining the petiole of the sterile leaf above the rhizome)
             7 Leaves lanceolate in outline, definitely longer than broad; sporangia either borne on normal leaf blades, or on slightly dimorphic blades, or on the basalmost pinnae of the leaf, or on an erect stalk that arises at or above ground level from the petiole of the sterile leaf blade (joining the petiole of the sterile leaf above the rhizome).
                 9 Leaf blades 1-8 cm long; sporangia borne on an erect stalk that arises at or above ground level from the petiole of the sterile leaf blade (joining the petiole of the sterile leaf above the rhizome)
                 9 Leaf blades 10-30 (-100) cm long; sporangia either borne on normal leaf blades, or on slightly dimorphic blades, or on basalmost pinnae of the leaf.
                   10 Leaves dark green, subcoriaceous in texture, evergreen
                   10 Leaves light to medium green, herbaceous in texture, deciduous to semi-evergreen.
                       12 Sori elongate; leaf blades somewhat dimorphic, the fertile larger and erect, the sterile smaller and prostrate, the larger leaf blades 2-4 (-6.5) cm wide; petiole with 2 vascular bundles, uniting upwards into 1 ×-shaped bundle
                       12 Sori round; leaf blades monomorphic (or slightly dimorphic in Cystopteris); the larger leaf blades 5-15 cm wide; petiole with 2 vascular bundles, uniting upwards into 1 U-shaped or V-shaped bundle.
                          13 Leaf vestiture nearly lacking (if present, not of unicellular acicular hairs or gland-tipped hairs)
                          13 Leaf vestiture of unicellular acicular hairs 0.2-1 mm long intermixed with short-stalked or sessile yellowish glands