Copy permalink to share
Onocleaceae
Matteuccia

Matteuccia struthiopteris (Linnaeus) Todaro var. pensylvanica (Willdenow) C.V. Morton. Common name: Ostrich Fern. Habitat: Alluvial forests and calcareous wetlands; sometimes grown as a woodland garden (shade) ornamental. Distribution: The species is circumboreal; the North American var. pensylvanica ranges from NL (Newfoundland) west to AK, south to VA (Smyth and Craig counties), n. MO, SD, and BC.

Glossary (beta)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: The "ostrich fern complex" has been treated recently in both Matteuccia and Onoclea, and with several varieties, subspecies, or species. The North American var. pensylvanica is separated from the Eurasian var. struthiopteris on the basis of its concolorous rhizome scales (vs. bicolorous scales) and less truncate pinna lobes. A genetic study showed some differentiation between North American and Eurasian populations (Koenemann, Maisonpierre, & Barrington 2011). These have been treated as seperate species, separate subspecies, separate varieties, or merged, and also treated in various genera (Pteretis, Matteuccia, Struthiopteris, and Onoclea)

Synonymy ⓘ: = Can, FNA2, G, Il, K4, Mo1, NSProv, NY, Va; = Matteuccia pensylvanica (Willd.) Raymond — WV; = Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. — NS; = Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. ssp. pensylvanica (Willd.) Á.Löve & D.Löve — NE; = n/a — Tat; = Onoclea pensylvanica (Willd.) Sm. — POWO; = Onoclea struthiopteris (L.) Roth var. pensylvanica (Willd.) B.Boivin; = Pteretis pensylvanica (Willd.) Fernald — F, genus name rejected; < Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. — C, GrPl, Pa, S13, Koenemann, Maisonpierre, & Barrington (2011), Lloyd (1971); < Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. var. struthiopteris — Lin et al (2013); < Onoclea struthiopteris (L.) Roth — Christenhusz, Zhang, & Schneider (2011). Basionym: Struthiopteris pensylvanica Willd. 1810

Links to other floras: = Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica - FNA2

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (name change)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW (name change)
  • Great Plains: FACW (name change)
  • Midwest: FACW (name change)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC (name change)

Heliophily ⓘ: 2

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | 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 ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming

Feedback

See something missing or incorrect about Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica? Let us know here:

  1. Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
  2. If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
  3. Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
  4. Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
  5. Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.

Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro:

Stems:

Leaves:

Inforescence:

Flowers:

Fruits:

Comments:

Height:

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description:

stems:

leaves:

inflorescence:

flowers:

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



0 unsaved edits on this page.