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Dryopteris ×australis (Woodfern)
Cressler, Alan

Dryopteris ×australis

Dryopteris ×australis (Wherry) Small (pro sp.)

Woodfern

Dryopteridaceae (Wood Fern Family)

Synonym(s): Dryopteris clintoniana var. australis, Dryopteris cristata var. australis

USDA Symbol: DRAU5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

"Dryopteris ×australis is a semi-fertile hybrid of Dryopteris celsa and Dryopteris ludoviciana. This location is the type locality found by Edger T. Wherry in 1937. There are still several clusters of the fern at the sight. The hybrid is partially evergreen with the fertile portions being deciduous. In the summer it is a very handsome plant. The hybrid has some ability to reproduce by spores. I know of three sites for the hybrid. At all but one, there are no parent ferns present. At the site in Burke County, Georgia, Dryopteris ludoviciana is present.

Dryopteris celsa is a fertile hybrid between Dryopteris goldiana and Dryopteris ludoviciana. D. goldiana is restricted to high elevations of the mountains and D. ludoviciana is a coastal plain species. It is speculated that the two species were compressed into each others range during Pleistocene glaciation. This is when hybridization most likely occurred to form D. celsa.

Today, D. celsa is an uncommon species in the southeastern U.S. It is increasingly rare in the coastal plain where it would encounter D. ludoviciana. It is unknown why D. ×australis is most often found without the parents. All the sites where I have seen D. ×australis are in wet swampy areas which is the preferred habitat for D. ludoviciana. It is likely that that species once lived further north." -- Alan Cressler (on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan_cressler/5343270384/)

 

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Fern

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Not Applicable
Bloom Notes: Non-flowering, sporulating plant.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , GA , LA , MD , MS , SC , TN , VA

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACW FACW
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Additional resources

USDA: Find Dryopteris ×australis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Dryopteris ×australis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Dryopteris ×australis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2018-06-25
Research By: SET

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