Flora of the Southeastern United States

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.

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

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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