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Thelypteris dentata (Forssk.)E.P.St.John
Downy Maiden Fern
Downy Shield Fern
Soft Fern
Synonym(s): Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
Not native to Florida
A frequent fern of moist hammocks, cypress swamps and disturbed sites on calcareous substrates in much of Florida, more widespread through the central and southern peninsula, but also in north Florida and across much of the panhandle. The range extends through the southeastern coastal states from Texas to South Carolina, plus Kentucky. Native to the Old World.
Fronds are 40-150cm (16 to 59 in.) tall with 15-50cm (6 to 20 in.) long petioles, purplish-brown near the base with stout hairs and hairy brown scales which are more numerous near the base. The 20-100cm (8 to 40 in.) long blade is pinnate-pinnatifid and about 25cm (10 in.) wide tapering slightly narrower at the base. The pinnae are 7-17cm (2-3/4 to 6-2/3 in.)long and 3cm (1-3/16 in.) wide with squarish blunt lobes only slightly rounded at the tips. The pinnae are shallowly notched with the basal lateral veins of adjacent lobes joining together 2-4mm (~1/8 in.) below the sinus, a distinguishing feature of this species. The sori are mostly rounded and lined up nearly equidistant between the midvein and the margins of the pinnules.
Thelypteris dentata is a member of the Thelypteridaceae - Marsh Ferns family.
Other species of the Thelypteris genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Thelypteris kunthii - WIDESPREAD MAIDEN FERN
Thelypteris ovata - OVATE MARSH FERN
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 24, 2024
