Thelypteris nevadensis

Nevada marsh fern

Thelypteridaceae

The Basics

Taxonomy: Kingdom - Plantae (plants). Subkingdom - Tracheobionta (vascular plants). Division - Pteridophyta(Ferns). Class - Filicopsida. Order - Polypodiales. Family - Thelypteridaceae (Marsh Fern family). Genus -Thelypteris Schmidel. Species - Thelypteris nevadensis (Baker) Clute ex C.V. Morton

Ecology:Terrestrial in woods and meadows, especially near springs, seepage areas, and streams, Wet to moist gravel bars in the lowland zone (moist in summer, flooded in winter);0--1800 m; B.C.; Calif., Oreg., Wash.

Identification

General: Deciduous perennial arising from a creeping rhizome in small clusters. Habit: Rhizome creeping, 1.5--3 mm wide; generally dormant in winter. Leaves: densely clustered, generally 40--100 cm, 8--15 cm wide; stipe scales ovate, tan, persistent; blade thin, abaxially with many short-stalked or sessile, resinous glands between and on veins, nonglandular hairs sparse on axes, veins, 0 between veins; pinnae deeply lobed, lobes +- oblong, entire to shallowly crenate. Sporangia: sori small, round; indusia hairs 0 or sparse.

Reproduction

Thelypteris nevadensis has a reticulum that is less regular. The spores also have ridges that extend more thean half the length of the spore. The ridges both appressed and projecting from the surface of the spores. While spores are released reproduction is mostly done by asexually. The species also spreads by rhizomes to different areas.

Species Distribution

Citation

E-Flora of British Columbia
In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2015. E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

USDA Plants Database
USDA, NRCS. 2017. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Distribution Map photo credit

USFS Plant Database
John C. Game, Alan R. Smith & Thomas Lemieux 2017. Thelypteris nevadensis, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=46421, accessed on February 13, 2017.

Jepson eFlora: Taxon Page
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 19+ vols. New York and Oxford.

Geographic Patterns in Temperate American Ferns and Some Relationships in Thelypteris 
Tryon, A., & Tryon, R. (1974). Geographic patterns in temperate American ferns and some relationships in Thelypteris. American Fern Journal, 64(4), 99-104.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Burke Museum. 2017. Thelypteris nevadensis [Online]. University of Washington.
Photo credit: 2015, G. D. Carr