netted chain fern

Woodwardia areolata

The netted chain fern is a beautiful plant with unique, lacy leaves that look like chains. It loves to grow in shady, moist places and can be found in forests and wetlands.

Habitat: Forests and wetlands

Appearance

The netted chain fern has distinctive bright green fronds, deeply lobed with prominent, net-like veins that give it its name. Its sterile fronds are broad and resemble leaves, while the taller, narrower fertile fronds bear spore cases on their undersides.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassPolypodiopsidaOrderPolypodialesFamilyBlechnaceaeGenusLorinseria

netted chain fern

Interesting facts

Ferns are ancient plants; their ancestors lived alongside dinosaurs millions of years ago!

Instead of seeds, netted chain ferns reproduce using tiny, dust-like spores released from their fronds!

Look closely at its leaves, and you'll see a beautiful pattern of veins like a delicate green net!

This fern helps create cool, shady microhabitats for small insects and amphibians in wet forests!

Special abilities

Netted chain fern has specialized fertile fronds that release tiny spores, allowing it to easily spread and colonize new, damp habitats.

The netted chain fern can thrive in waterlogged, acidic soils where many other plants struggle, helping it survive in swampy areas.

Netted chain fern has two types of fronds: broad ones for sunlight, and tall, narrow ones just for spore production.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-90 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial

Ecological connections

eaten by

black slug

Arion ater

Larvae and slugs may nibble on its fronds

shelters

wood frog

Rana sylvatica

Provides cool, damp cover for amphibians

depends on

water tupelo

Nyssa aquatica

Thrives in the same wet, wooded habitats

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Spore Producing

Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.