Cystopteris montana : Bladder Fern

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Pteridophyta (spore bearing)

Class: Polypodopsida (fern class)

Family: Aspidiaceae (Fern Family)

Genera: Cystopteris (Bladder Ferns) (Gk. kistis = bladder or sac + pteris = a fern, referring to sac-like inducium)

Species: montana

English Name(s):

Bladder Fern, Mountain Bladder Fern

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Fronds 30cm- 40cm tall. Arising singly (one at a time) along a horizontal creeping rhizome.
• Fronds ternate(three parts). Two lower divisions somewhat narrower and shorter than the upper one.

Leaves:

• Leaves bipinnate to tripinnate(2-3 times pinnate).

Reproductive Parts:

• Inducium roundish, hood-shaped, thin, inconspicuous, whitish and withering with age.
• Sori round.

Seed:

Not to Be Confused With:

• There are 2 species of Gymnocarpiums (Oak Ferns) in our area that are about the same size and have ternate fronds. Gymnnocarpiums have no inducium.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial from rhizomes.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Fronds deciduous.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Cool damp woods and rocky slopes, preferes calcareous soils.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: