# blunt woodsia (*Woodsia obtusa*)

Blunt woodsia is a lovely fern that grows in cool, shady places. Its soft, green leaves are shaped like little fans, making it a special plant to find in the woods!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 4
- **Habitat:** Forests

![blunt woodsia](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/198242761/medium.jpg)

Photo: Sinéad Tuttle-Lerner, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/198242761)

## Appearance

The blunt woodsia is a small-to-medium-sized fern with delicate, lacy fronds that are a soft green color. Its fronds are twice-divided, tapering at both ends, and have distinct rounded (blunt) segments, giving it a somewhat fuzzy or soft appearance compared to other ferns.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Polypodiopsida
- **Order:** Polypodiales
- **Family:** Woodsiaceae
- **Genus:** Physematium

## Interesting facts

- It can cling to bare rocks and cliffs, even growing sideways!
- Its "blunt" name comes from the rounded tips of its leaf segments!
- The fronds curl up tightly in winter to protect themselves!
- This fern reproduces with tiny spores instead of seeds or flowers!

## Special abilities

- **Drought Dodger:** When conditions get dry, blunt woodsia can curl its fronds inwards, protecting its delicate parts and conserving water until rain returns.
- **Spore Sprinter:** Instead of seeds, blunt woodsia releases tiny spores that are carried by the wind, allowing it to spread to new rocky habitats.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-45 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Grey Field Slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Slugs sometimes graze on its soft fronds.
- **Shelter:** Common Pillbug (*Porcellionides pruinosus*) — Pillbugs hide under its fronds from heat and predators.
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer may browse on its fronds when other food is scarce.

## Traits

- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants in the wild, as some can be delicate.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify blunt woodsia?

Compare frond shape, how the leaflets are arranged, the stalk, and any spore clusters you can see. A single detached leaflet often hides the plant's overall growth pattern. Fern Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is blunt woodsia?

15-45 cm

### How wide does blunt woodsia spread?

15-30 cm

### Is blunt woodsia edible?

No

### Is blunt woodsia toxic?

None

### What is blunt woodsia's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is blunt woodsia usually found?

Forests

## Where to spot

- [Calico Rock Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/calico-rock-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District
- [Starlight Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/starlight-park) — New York, US · Park
- [South Coventry Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-coventry-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District
- [Trempealeau Mountain State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/trempealeau-mountain-state-natural-area) — Minnesota, US · State Park
- [Greenleaf State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenleaf-state-park) — Oklahoma, US · State Park
- [John Jay Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-jay-park) — New York, US · Park

[View all places to see blunt woodsia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blunt-woodsia)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Blunt Woodsia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blunt-woodsia)