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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

Key A6: medium to large ‘fern-like’ pteridophytes, epipetric on rock or walls, or epiphytic on tree trunks

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1 Leaf vine-like, 0.3-10 m long, the branching dichotomous, 1 branch of each dichotomy terminating in a pair of pinnae, the pinnae often widely spaced (> 10 cm apart)
1 Leaf not vine-like, 0.3-3 m long, the branching not as described above, the pinnae regularly and more-or-less closely spaced (mostly < 10 cm apart).
  2 Leaves (at least the sterile leaves if the leaves are dimorphic) 1-pinnate-pinnatifid or less divided (the pinnae entire, toothed, lobed or pinnatifid).
    3 Leaves dimorphic, the sterile leaves 1-pinnate, the fertile leaves bipinnate; sori covering the entire undersurface of the fertile leaves
    3 Leaves monomorphic; sori not covering the undersurface of the leaves.
      4 Sori neither marginal nor continuous, slightly to entirely covered by an elongate or roundish indusium (sometimes ciliate, toothed, or divided into narrow segments); pinnae usually at least in part alternate, mostly lanceolate, toothed, lobed, or pinnatifid.
        5 Sori elongate, the indusium flap-like, attached along the side; leaf blades < 7 cm wide when > 30 cm long
        5 Sori circular or globular, the indusium peltate, reniform, or cuplike; leaf blades > 5 cm wide when > 30 cm long.
             7 Leaves 1-pinnate, the pinnae toothed and each with a slight to prominent lobe near the base on the side toward the leaf tip; indusia peltate, reniform, or crescent-shaped.
               8 Leaves pale green, thin in texture; pinnae articulate to rachis, deciduous with age; rhizome bearing elongate, thin, wiry stolons; indusia reniform or crescent-shaped
               8 Leaves dark-green, subcoriaceous to coriaceous; pinnae not articulate and deciduous with age; rhizome not producing stolons; indusia peltate
             7 Leaves 1-pinnate-pinnatifid or 2-pinnatifid, the pinnae pinnatifid, generally lacking a prominent basal lobe; indusia either reniform or cuplike.
                     11 Indusium cuplike, attached beneath the sorus and consisting of 3-6 lanceolate to ovate segments
  2 Leaves (at least the sterile leaves if the leaves are dimorphic) 2-pinnate or more divided (the pinnae divided to their midribs).
                          13 Sori marginal and borne on the underside of the false indusium (modified, marginal flaps of the leaf margin); petioles and rachis shiny black or reddish-black; pinnules fan-shaped or obliquely elongate
                          13 Sori not marginal, borne on the undersurface of the leaf blade (if marginal, as in Pteridium and Dennstaedtia, borne on the undersurface of the leaf); petioles darkened only basally (if at all), rachis green, tan, or reddish; pinnules not notably fan-shaped or obliquely elongate.
                            14 Outline of leaf blade narrowed to base, the widest point > 7 pinna pairs above the base, the lowermost pinnae < 1/4 as long as the longest pinnae; rhizomes long-creeping, the leaves scattered or in small tufts, forming clonal patches
                            14 Outline of the leaf blade slightly if at all narrowed to the base, the widest point < 5 pinna pairs from the base, the lowermost pinnae > 1/2 as long as the longest pinnae; rhizomes short-creeping, the leaves clustered, not forming clonal patches (or with rhizomes long-creeping, leaves scattered, forming clonal patches in Dennstaedtia in DENNSTAEDTIACEAE).
                              15 Rhizomes long-creeping, leaves scattered, forming clonal patches; vascular bundles in the petiole 1, U-shaped (even in the lower petiole); sori very small, marginal in sinuses, the indusium cup-like, 2-parted, the outer part a modified tooth of the leaf blade; leaf blades conspicuously puberulent with septate glandular hairs
                              15 Rhizomes short-creeping, the leaves clustered, not forming clonal patches; vascular bundles in the petiole 2-7 (sometimes uniting to 1 in the upper petiole); sori mostly larger, mostly not marginal, the indusium not as above (though cup-like in Woodsia obtusa); leaf blades either glabrous, glabrescent, with flattened scales, or puberulent with glandular trichomes.
                                16 Vascular bundles 2 in the petiole (or uniting near the leaf blade into 1).
                                  17 Leaves 25-65 cm wide, with whitish, straight, acicular hairs; [species adventive and weedy]
                                  17 Leaves 5-25 (-30) cm wide, with scales and minute glands (sometimes also with septate hairs); [native species].
                                    18 Leaves 1-pinnate-pinnatifid; indusium cup-like, attached beneath the sorus and consisting of 3-6 lanceolate to ovate segments
                                    18 Leaves 2-pinnate-pinnatifid; indusium flap-like, pocket-like, or hood-like, attached at one side of the sorus and arching over it.

Key A7: medium to large ‘fern-like’ pteridophytes, terrestrial, growing in soil, not associated with rock outcrops

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1 Leaf vine-like (with indeterminate growth), 0.3-10 m long, the branching dichotomous, 1 branch of each dichotomy terminating in a pair of pinnae, the pinnae often widely spaced (> 10 cm apart).
  2 Vine-like leaves scrambling or trailing; sporangia borne 6-12 per sorus
image of plant
Show caption*© Scott Ward; hood-like flap covering sporangia
  2 Vine-like leaves twining; sporangia borne singly, each subtended by an indusium-like flap
1 Leaf not vine-like, 0.3-3 m long, the branching not as described above, the pinnae regularly and more-or-less closely spaced (mostly < 10 cm apart).
    3 Leaf blades broadly (about equilaterally) triangular, pentagonal, or flabellate in outline, 0.7-1.3× as long as wide.
      4 Leaf blades flabellate or fan-shaped in outline, the petiole branched once dichotomously, each branch bearing 3-7 pinnae on one side of the rachis only
      4 Leaf blades pentagonal or broadly triangular in outline, the petiole not branched dichotomously.
        5 Leaf blade pentagonal in outline, the terminal pinna the largest; sori either submarginal, roundish, the indusium reniform, or marginal and continuous, covered by a false indusium; [exotic, uncommonly naturalized].
          6 Sori submarginal, roundish, the indusium reniform; leaf blade 2.4-4 dm long and wide
          6 Sori marginal, linear, covered by a false indusium; leaf blade 10-20 dm long and wide
        5 Leaf blade broadly triangular in outline, the basal pinnae the largest; sori marginal, linear, indusium absent, the sporangia either protected by the revolute leaf margin and a minute false indusium (Pteridium), or borne in a stalked, specialized, fertile portion of the blade (Botrypus); [native, collectively common].
             7 Sporangia borne in a stalked, specialized, fertile portion of the blade; texture of mature blades somewhat fleshy; plants solitary from a short underground rhizome with thick, mycorrhizal roots; [primarily of moist forests]
             7 Sporangia borne in marginal, linear sori, indusium absent, the sporangia protected by the revolute leaf margin and a minute false indusium; texture of mature leaf blades hard and stiff; plants colonial from deep-seated rhizomes; [primarily of moist to dry woodlands and savannas]
    3 Leaves elongate in outline, mostly ovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or narrowly triangular, 1.5-10× or more as long as wide.
               8 Leaves 2-pinnate or more divided (the pinnae divided to their midribs).
                 9 Leaf blade divided into sterile and fertile portions, the sterile pinnae basal, the sterile pinnules 30-70 mm long and 8-23 mm wide, serrulate, rounded basally, rounded to somewhat acute apically, the fertile pinnae terminal and greatly reduced in size, the fertile pinnules 7-11 mm long and 2-3 mm wide
                 9 Leaf blade not divided into sterile and fertile portions (though often not all pinnules on a leaf bearing sporangia), the sporangia-bearing pinnules only slightly if at all reduced in size, both fertile and sterile pinnules usually 4-20 mm long and 2-10 mm wide.
                   10 Rhizomes long-creeping, leaves scattered, forming clonal patches; vascular bundles in the petiole either 1, U-shaped (even in the lower petiole) or 3 or more; sori very small, marginal in sinuses, the indusium cup-like, 2-parted, the outer part a modified tooth of the leaf blade; leaf blades conspicuously puberulent with septate hairs or glabrous to puberulent with glandular trichomes
                   10 Rhizomes short-creeping, ascending, or erect, the leaves clustered, not forming clonal patches; vascular bundles in the lower petiole 2-7 (sometimes uniting to 1 in the upper petiole); sori mostly larger, mostly not marginal, the indusium not as above (though cuplike in Woodsia obtusa); leaf blades either glabrous, glabrescent, with flattened scales, or puberulent with glandular trichomes.
                       12 Undersurface of leaf with white or yellow farina (waxy exudate); [FL peninsula]
                       12 Undersurface of leaf green, lacking farina; [collectively widespread]
                          13 Leaves 25-65 cm wide, with whitish, straight, acicular, septate hairs; [species adventive and weedy]
                          13 Leaves 5-25 (-50) cm wide, with scales and minute glands (sometimes also with septate hairs); [native species, widespread].
                            14 Leaves 1-pinnate-pinnatifid; indusium cup-like, attached beneath the sorus and consisting of 3-6 lanceolate to ovate segments
                            14 Leaves 2-pinnate-pinnatifid; indusium flap-like, pocket-like, or hood-like, attached at one side of the sorus and arching over it.
                                16 Leaves 1-pinnatifid, most of the pinnae not fully divided from one another (the rachis winged by leaf tissue most or all of its length); leaves either dimorphic, the fertile much modified, stiff and/or woody (Onoclea in ONOCLEACEAE or Lorinseria in BLECHNACEAE), or not dimorphic (Pecluma in POLYPODIACEAE).
                                  17 Sporangia borne on modified, stiff and/or woody leaves; [widespread in our area]
                                    18 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 alternate
                                    18 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 opposite
                                16 Leaves 1-pinnate or 1-pinnate-pinnatifid, the pinnae fully divided from one another (the rachis naked for most of its length, often winged in the terminal portion); leaves dimorphic or not.
                                       19 Rhizomes long-creeping, leaves scattered, forming clonal patches.
                                       19 Rhizomes short-creeping, the leaves clustered, not forming clonal patches (or rhizomes of both types, but leaves borne only in clusters on the short erect ones, in Matteuccia)
                                           21 Plants moderately to very robust, the leaves typically 6-50 dm tall; leaves either strongly dimorphic, the fertile leaves very unlike the sterile, brown at maturity (Matteuccia and Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), or the fertile pinnae very unlike the sterile, brown at maturity, borne as an interruption in the blade, with normal green pinnae above and below (Osmunda claytoniana), or the fertile pinnae toward the tip of the leaf and with sporangia entirely covering the lower surface (Acrostichum); rachises scale-less, petioles scale-less (except at the base in Matteuccia).
                                             22 Leaves 1.5-5 m long; fertile pinnae with sporangia covering the lower surface; [n. FL southward]
                                               23 Leaves strongly tapering to the base from the broadest point (well beyond the midpoint of the blade), the basal-most pinnae much < ½ as long as the largest pinnae
                                               23 Leaves slightly if at all tapering to the base, about equally broad through much of their length, the basal-most pinnae much > ½ as long as the largest pinnae
                                           21 Plants mostly less robust, the leaves 3-10 dm tall (except Dryopteris ludoviciana, D. celsa, D. goldiana, and Nephrolepis exaltata to 15 dm); leaves not at all or only slightly dimorphic, the fertile differing in various ways, such as having narrower pinnae (as in Dryopteris ludoviciana, Polystichum acrostichoides, Diplazium, Deparia, and Thelypteris palustris) or the fertile leaves taller and more deciduous (as in Asplenium platyneuron and Dryopteris cristata), but not as described in the first lead; rachises and petioles variously scaly or scale-less, but at least the petiole and often also the rachis scaly if the plants over 1 m tall.
                                                        27 Leaves 1-pinnate, the pinnae toothed and each with a slight to prominent lobe near the base on the side toward the leaf tip (except Nephrolepis exaltata in NEPHROLEPIDACEAE); indusium peltate (Polystichum in DRYOPTERIDACEAE) or reniform or crescent-shaped (Nephrolepis in NEPHROLEPIDACEAE).
                                                          28 Leaves pale green, thin in texture; pinnae articulate to rachis, deciduous with age; thin, rhizome bearing elongate, thin, wiry stolons; [mostly, if not entirely, exotic in our area, rare]
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