Gymnocarpium dryopteris : Oak Fern

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Pteridophyta (spore bearing)

Class: Polypodopsida (fern class)

Family: Aspidiaceae (Fern Family)

Genera: Gymnocarpium (Oak Ferns)

Species: dryopteris (Gk drys=a tree + pteris=a fern)

Synonym(s): Dryopteris robertiana

English Name(s):

Oak Fern,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Fronds ternate. Two side divisions almost the same size as the middle one.
• Fronds up to 30cm long, arising from a slender forking rhizome (underground stem).

Leaves:

• Light green, mostly glabrous (no hair, scales or glands).
• Lowest leaflet on side divisions about the same size as either leaflet three rows up the middle division. See diagram.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inducium absent.
• Sori small, round, close to leaf margins.

Seed:

• Reproduces by spores.

Not to Be Confused With:

• C.montana can be distinguished by its hood-shaped inducium over its generally larger sori.
• Compare the G.Jessoense diagram with the G.dryopteris diagram.
• There are 2 other ternate fronded ferns in our area; G jessoense and Cystopteris montana.

Physiology:

• In certain areas transitions between G.dryopteris and G.jessoense have been described.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial from rhizome.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Fronds deciduous.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Cool rocky woods, swamp margins, and shaded slopes.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Crushed leaves are used as a mosquito repellent.

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• The Cree used crushed leaves to relieve mosquito bites.

Food: