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Cystopteridaceae
Cystopteris

Cystopteris fragilis (Linnaeus) Bernhardi. Common name: Fragile Fern, Brittle Fern. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Cliff, ascending in our area to 1650 m. Distribution: Circumboreal, in North America ranging from NL (Newfoundland) west to AK, south to MA, CT, NJ, montane NC, w. OK, NM, and AZ; Central America.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: This "species" has been interpreted to be a fertile allotetraploid, presumed to be derived from hybridization between C. reevesiana Lellinger and an extinct or currently undiscovered second parent (C. "hemifragilis"), with a genome symbolized HHRR (Paler & Barrington 1995). However, Rothfels et al. (2014) demonstrated that "C. fragilis" appears to be an allopolyploid complex of many diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid entities needing further study and taxonomic recognition (also see FNA for discussion).

Synonymy ⓘ: = Can, FNA2, FoC, Il, K4, Meso1, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, W, Shmakov, Batkin, & Vaganov (2018); Polypodium fragile L.; = Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh. var. fragilis — C, F, G, GrPl, Sf; = n/a — RAB; < Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh. — WV; < Filix fragilis (L.) Underw. — S13. Basionym: Polypodium fragile L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Cystopteris fragilis - FNA2

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 2

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image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Cystopteris fragilis, Mount Mitchell, Black Mountains, Mount Mitchell State Park, Yancy County, North Carolina 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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Height: 1-2 ft.

plant sale text: A very cold tolerant species, this fern is found all the way into northern Canada! It spreads over time, creeping along and forming asymmetrical patches of bright green arching fronds. We love ferns and are particularly excited to be able to welcome this species into our plant sale. It is happy in rocky places in the wild. This fern may go dormant during hot, dry spells. No worries; they pop back when the rain reappears.

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native range: Canada, United States (northern or high elevation)



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