FERN
TERMINOLOGY
Frond –entire leaf including the blade and stipe
Blade – leafy part of fern
Stipe – stalk below blade
Fiddlehead – the uncurling new frond
Rhizome – underground stem connecting to the
roots
Lake Auburn Natural History Series
The Lake Auburn Watershed
Protection Commission is
responsible for protecting the entire
watershed feeding Lake Auburn, the
source of drinking water for Maine’s
second largest population area. We
invite you to use our trails for low
impact recreational activities, and
hope that you’ll enjoy access to these
forested lands.
CO M MO N FE RNS
OF THE
S PRING ROA D T RA IL
Spores – reproductive cells
Sporangia- cases where the spores develop
Sorus- grouping of sporangia
Sori –single sorus
CHARACTERISTICS OF SORUS
❖
Always on the underside of leaf
❖
On edge of leaf
❖
Down center of leaf at opposite angles
❖
Scattered
❖
Along outer margin
❖
Along midvein
If you encounter issues that we should address,
please call 333-6665 to report or email
[email protected].
Photos and text by:
Paula Curtis-Everett,
Maine Master Naturalist
Produced by Lake Auburn Watershed
Protection Commission
www.lakeauburnwater.org
Ostrich Fern
Found in moist and swampy areas
Blade is broadest above middle, fertile frond is shorter and stiffer
Height up to 5” or more
Sensitive Fern
New York Fern
Found in damp wooded areas
Blade broadest at middle
Grows 1-2 feet
Lower leaflet are small and point downward
Fertile fronds brown with small bead like spore sori
Found in moist areas
Height 1-2 feet
Grows in clumps
Interrupted Fern
Found on rocky soil
Bracken Fern
Fertile leaflets grow in center of blade
Broad and Triangular in shape about 3-5 feet tall
Marginal Wood fern
Found in woodland areas
Found in rocky woodland slopes
Spores (sori) are found curled under the margins of the leaf
Grows in clumps
Height 2-4 feet
Height 1-2 feet
Spores (sori) are found around the margin of the leaflet
Lady’s Fern
Found in moist areas
Cinnamon Fern
Spores (sori) are found under leaflets and are curved kidney shaped.
Scales on it’s stalk
Grows in clumps about 2-5 feet
Royal Fern
Found in wet lands
Height 1-4 feet
Separate cinnamon colored fertile stalk. Non fertile blade dies
back early summer
Very delicate appearing fern
Found in wet woodland, swamps and bogs
Height 6 feet
Spores (sori) found at tip of fern