Polystichum acrostichoides (Michaux) Schott. Christmas Fern. Phen: Jun-Nov. Hab: Moist to dry forests and woodlands, especially slopes, ravines, and small stream bottomlands. Dist: NS west to MN, south to s. FL and e. TX; also in ne. Mexico (NLE and TAM).
ID notes:One of the most familiar ferns in e. North America.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Var. lonchitoides Brooks, allegedly endemic to WV, is just a form and should not be recognized taxonomically.
Synonymy: = Ar, C, ETx1, F, Fl1, FNA2, G, GrPl, Il, K3, K4, Mo1, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Sf, Tn, Tx, TxFerns, Va, W, WH3, WV; > Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott var. acrostichoides – Tat, Kramer et al. (2013); > Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott var. lonchitoides Brook – K1; > Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott var. schweinitzii (Beck) Small – Tat
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© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw 
© Erik Danielsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Erik Danielsen source CC-BY-NC | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Polystichum acrostichoides, unusual form, Blacks Bluff Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, Floyd County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷