Matteuccia struthiopteris (Linnaeus) Todaro var. pensylvanica (Willdenow) C.V. Morton. Ostrich Fern. Hab: Alluvial forests and calcareous wetlands; sometimes grown as a woodland garden (shade) ornamental. Dist: 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 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).

Synonymy: = FNA2, G, Il, K4, Mo1, NY, Va; = Matteuccia pensylvanica (Willd.) Raymond – WV; = Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. ssp. pensylvanica (Willd.) Á.Löve & D.Löve – NE; = n/a – Tat; = Onoclea struthiopteris (L.) Roth var. pensylvanica (Willd.) B.Boivin; = Pteretis pensylvanica (Willd.) Fernald – F; < Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. – C, GrPl, K1, K3, Pa, S13, Koenemann, Maisonpierre, & Barrington (2011); < Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Tod. var. struthiopteris – Lin et al (2013); < Onoclea struthiopteris (L.) Roth – Christenhusz, Zhang, & Schneider (2011)

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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