Plant Index


 
 
 
 

Polystichum acrostichoides

Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott

christmas fern

Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)
Image ID: 13034
Image by: Cressler, Alan M.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: POAC4
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Polystichum acrostichoides
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-09-18

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: POLYS
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Polystichum
GENUS AUTHORITY: Roth
GENUS COMMON: Hollyfern
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 180 species, nearly cosmopolitan in distribution.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: D.H. Wagner in FNA (1993b); Zhang & Barrington in FoC (2013); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: DRYOPT
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Dryopteridaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: Ching 1965
FAMILY COMMON: Wood-fern Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 40-45 genera and 1700 species, cosmopolitan in distribution, but concentrated in temperate and montane areas. Here circumscribed (following Smith et al. 2006) to exclude Onocleaceae and Woodsiaceae.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Smith in FNA (1993b); Smith et al. (2006); Lellinger (1985); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 1-2 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb, Fern

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION: Evergreen

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: Not Applicable
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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: Dry forests, Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE: eastern N. America & Mexico

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Christmas fern is easily grown in a variety of soils, and tolerates partial to full shade. This SE native fern is commonly seen growing in woodlands throughout North Carolina. Its leathery evergreen fronds bear stocking-shaped pinnae, which is one explanation for how it got its common name. Established plants grow into sizable clumps that add color and interest to the shade garden throughout the year. Christmas fern can be planted singly as an accent, or en masse as a ground cover.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 3
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id acc_num acc_dt coll_id Action
151 2010-0069 2010-12-08 152 View
167 2007-0409 2019-07-02 168 View
346 2011-0217 2011-11-01 350 View
975 1985-0669 View
1373 1986-1151 View
2001 1986-1794 View
2114 1986-1918 View
2447 1986-2288 View
2667 1987-0123 View
3322 1990-0188 View
3973 1992-0129 View
4976 1995-0094 View
5163 1995-0282 View
5606 1995-0730 View
6252 1995-1384 View
7569 2000-0332 2000-10-06 View
8620 2006-0202 2006-08-15 View
9396 2021-0020 2021-05-13 View
9462 2021-0121 2022-01-11 2565 View
9510 2021-0147 2022-08-23 0 View


GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id Project Collection date Collector Action
152 HORT Parkins View
168 HORT 2007-11-15 Wenck View
350 HORT Poythress View
2565 HORT 2021-11-05 Liloia View


GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num acc_id loc_num pers_num inst_dt Action
306 151 34 Liloia 2010-12-09 View
333 167 94 Wenck 2007-11-15 View
334 167 81 Wenck 2007-12-04 View
347 167 198 MacIntyre 2007-10-22 View
348 167 198 MacIntyre 2007-10-22 View
349 167 198 MacIntyre 2007-10-22 View
350 167 198 MacIntyre 2007-10-22 View
839 346 15 NCBG staff 2011-10-17 View
840 346 12 NCBG staff 2011-10-17 View
841 346 25 NCBG staff 2011-10-17 View
842 346 74 NCBG staff 2011-10-17 View
1815 975 205 NCBG staff 1995-01-01 View
1816 975 205 NCBG staff 1995-01-01 View
1817 975 205 NCBG staff 1995-01-01 View
1818 975 65 NCBG staff 1996-01-01 View
1819 975 66 NCBG staff 1996-01-01 View
1820 975 69 NCBG staff 1996-01-01 View
1821 975 70 NCBG staff 1996-01-01 View
1822 975 71 NCBG staff 1996-01-01 View
1823 975 137 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
1824 975 145 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
1825 975 205 Liloia 1995-01-01 View
2389 1373 81 NCBG staff 1967-12-31 View
2390 1373 98 NCBG staff 1985-11-25 View
2391 1373 94 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
3224 2001 6 NCBG staff 1986-12-23 View
3544 2114 11 NCBG staff 1967-12-31 View
3545 2114 72 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3546 2114 73 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3547 2114 74 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3548 2114 75 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3549 2114 76 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3550 2114 77 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3551 2114 78 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3552 2114 80 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3553 2114 187 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3554 2114 188 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3555 2114 189 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
3556 2114 79 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
4158 2447 27 NCBG staff 1986-12-31 View
4474 2667 1 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
4475 2667 52 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
4476 2667 57 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
4477 2667 140 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
4478 2667 136 NCBG staff 2001-06-07 View
5519 3322 53 NCBG staff 2001-03-15 View
6301 3973 200 NCBG staff 1993-03-01 View
7395 4976 202 NCBG staff 1992-01-01 View
7594 5163 203 NCBG staff 1992-01-01 View
7595 5163 203 NCBG staff 1992-01-01 View
8120 5606 204 NCBG staff 1993-01-01 View
8907 6252 2 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
10643 7569 138 Heiney 1967-12-01 View
11810 8620 205 NCBG staff 2005-04-01 View
12271 167 65 Liloia 2007-11-30 View
12457 7569 218 Briggs 2021-01-15 View
12649 9396 20 Liloia 2021-02-12 View
12663 0 19 Liloia 0000-00-00 View
12707 0 24 Liloia 0000-00-00 View
12905 9462 13 Liloia 2021-11-05 View
12917 0 198 MacIntyre 0000-00-00 View
13078 0 18 Liloia 0000-00-00 View
13114 0 15 NCBG staff 0000-00-00 View
13124 9462 198 NCBG staff 2021-11-09 View
13131 0 17 Liloia 0000-00-00 View
13172 9462 82 Briggs 2022-05-26 View
13173 9462 81 Briggs 2022-05-26 View
13174 9462 219 Briggs 2022-05-26 View
13191 9462 49 Wait 2021-11-23 View
13202 9510 38 Wait 2021-11-23 View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: POAC4
USDA Common Name: Christmas Fern
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (NB, NS, ON, PE, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU FACU FACU UPL FACU

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: Polystichum acrostichoides
COMMON NAME: Christmas Fern
SYNONYMY: [= Ar, C, F, FNA, G, Il, K2, Pa, RAB, S, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV; > P. acrostichoides var. acrostichoides - K1; > P. acrostichoides var. lonchitoides Brook - K1]
PHENOLOGY: Jun-Sep.
HABITAT: Moist to dry forests and woodlands, especially slopes, ravines, and small stream bottomlands.
COMMENTS: NS west to MN, south to s. FL and e. TX; also in ne. Mexico (Nuevo León and Tamaulipas). One of the most familiar ferns in e. North America. Var. lonchitoides Brooks, allegedly endemic to WV, is of dubious taxonomic value.
RANGE MAP: Polystichum acrostichoides.png

Key to Map Symbols
ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Dryopteridaceae Ching 1965 (Wood-fern Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 40-45 genera and 1700 species, cosmopolitan in distribution, but concentrated in temperate and montane areas. Here circumscribed (following Smith et al. 2006) to exclude Onocleaceae and Woodsiaceae.
REFERENCE: Smith in FNA (1993b); Smith et al. (2006); Lellinger (1985); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).
ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Polystichum Roth (Hollyfern)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 180 species, nearly cosmopolitan in distribution.
REFERENCE: D.H. Wagner in FNA (1993b); Zhang & Barrington in FoC (2013); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

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

WEB RESOURCES

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

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 13034 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 13034 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 7272 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 16426 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)

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173 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

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