North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Athyrium asplenioides

Athyrium asplenioides (Michx.) A.A. Eaton

southern lady fern

Image ID: 23450
Image by: Ware, Richard & Teresa
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: ATAS
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Athyrium asplenioides
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-10-26

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: ATHYR
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Athyrium
GENUS AUTHORITY: Roth
GENUS COMMON: Ladyfern
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 180 species, cosmopolitan in distribution, but concentrated in e. and se. Asia. Kelloff et al. (2002) and Kelloff & Werth (1998) support recognition of two taxa at either specific or infraspecific levels, based on morphology, allozymes, and spores.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: Athyrium and Deparia superficially resemble Dryopteris, and they often grow together. Athyrium and Deparia have linear, flap-like sori (vs. rounded, reniform sori). Sterile individuals can be distinguished by the number of vascular bundles in the petiole (easily determined by breaking off a leaf and counting the vascular bundles, which will appear as thread-like, but flattened, strands); Athyrium and Deparia have 2, Dryopteris has 4-7.
GENUS REFERENCES: Kato in FNA (1993b); Wang, He, & Kato in FoC (2013); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990); Kelloff et al. (2002).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: ATHYRI
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Athyriaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: Alston 1956
FAMILY COMMON: Lady Fern Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of ca. 5 genera and 600 species, subcosmopolitan in distribution.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Christenhusz, Zhang, & Schneider (2011); Wang, He, & Kato in FoC (2013).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 2-3 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb, Fern

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: Not Applicable

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
				x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR:

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
											x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: eastern United States

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Southern lady fern is easy to grow. This native deciduous fern is not often offered for sale. Its erect fronds add a delicate, graceful beauty throughout the growing season when combined with other woodland plants. Like most other ferns, it requires an evenly moist soil. This fern grows into handsome clumps and makes a fine groundcover for the shade garden. Its native range includes much of the southeastern United States. Provides cover for toads and anoles. Supports up to 3 species of lepidoptera.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 4
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
960	1985-0653			View
2053	1986-1847			View
3323	1990-0189			View
3972	1992-0128			View
7755	2001-0110	2001-06-14		View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
1768	960	189	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
1769	960	11	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1770	960	73	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1771	960	74	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1772	960	78	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1773	960	78	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1774	960	79	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1775	960	80	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1776	960	187	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1777	960	188	NCBG staff	1985-02-20	View
1778	960	75	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
1779	960	76	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
1780	960	77	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
3351	2053	1	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
5520	3323	53	NCBG staff	2001-03-15	View
5521	3323	58	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
5522	3323	59	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
6300	3972	200	NCBG staff	1993-03-01	View
10959	7755	1	NCBG staff	1998-01-01	View
12472	960	145	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
13327	0	65	Liloia	0000-00-00	View
13609	0	60	Liloia	0000-00-00	View
13744	0	71	Liloia	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: ATAS
USDA Common Name:
Native Status:
Distribution:
Duration:
Growth Habit:

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC	FAC		FAC	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Athyrium asplenioides
COMMON NAME: Southern Lady Fern
SYNONYMY: [= RAB, S, Va, WV; = A. filix-femina (Linnaeus) Roth ex Mertens var. asplenioides (Michaux) Farwell - C, F, FNA, G, Pa; = A. filix-femina ssp. asplenioides (Michaux) Hult�n - Ar, Il, K, Tn, W, WH3]
PHENOLOGY: May-Sep.
HABITAT: Moist forests.
COMMENTS: MA, WV, IL, and KS south to n. FL and e. TX.
RANGE MAP: Athyrium asplenioides.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Athyriaceae Alston 1956 (Lady Fern Family)
SUMMARY: A family of ca. 5 genera and 600 species, subcosmopolitan in distribution.
REFERENCE: Christenhusz, Zhang, & Schneider (2011); Wang, He, & Kato in FoC (2013).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Athyrium Roth (Ladyfern)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 180 species, cosmopolitan in distribution, but concentrated in e. and se. Asia. Kelloff et al. (2002) and Kelloff & Werth (1998) support recognition of two taxa at either specific or infraspecific levels, based on morphology, allozymes, and spores.
REFERENCE: Kato in FNA (1993b); Wang, He, & Kato in FoC (2013); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990); Kelloff et al. (2002).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Athyrium asplenioides in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Athyrium asplenioides in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Athyrium asplenioides in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Athyrium asplenioides in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Athyrium asplenioides in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Athyrium asplenioides

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 23450 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 23450 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 23450 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)