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Thelypteris kunthii
Widespread Maiden Fern
Southern Shield Fern
Kunth's Maiden Fern
Synonym(s): Pelazoneuron kunthii
Florida native
A common fern of rocky hammocks, cypress swamps and disturbed sites throughout most of Florida. The range includes the southeastern coastal states from North Carolina into Texas, plus Arkansas.
The fronds of this fern are 50-160cm (20 to 63 in.) tall and 40cm (15-3/4 in.) wide with triangular to lanceolate shaped pinnate-pinnatifed blades that are 15-80cm (6 to 31-1/2 in.) long. The petiole is straw-colored darkening to a reddish-brown and becoming scaly towards the base. The pinnatifed pinnae are 8-20cm (3-1/6 to 7-7/8 in.) long to around 2.5cm (1 in.) wide. The pinnae have hairy veins and are often hairy on both upper and lower surfaces. Most of the basal lateral veins meet the margin above the sinus, although sometimes at the sinus.
The specific name of this fern is in honor of Carl Sigismund Kunth (1788-1850) a German botanist who is best known for his early cataloging of plants brought back from North America by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland. Kunth himself later traveled to the West Indies, Central and South America.
Thelypteris kunthii is a member of the Thelypteridaceae - Marsh Ferns family.
Other species of the Thelypteris genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Thelypteris dentata - DOWNY MAIDEN FERN
Thelypteris ovata - OVATE MARSH FERN
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jan 08, 2023
