Dryopteris fragrans : Fragrant Fern

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Pteridophyta (spore bearing)

Class: Polypodopsida (fern class)

Family: Aspidiaceae (Fern Family)

Genera: Dryopteris (Wood Ferns) (Gk. drys=a tree + pteris= a fern)

Species: fragrans (fragtrans = fragrant)

Synonym(s): Aspidium fragrans, T

English Name(s):

Fragrant Fern, Fragrant Wood Fern, Fragrant Cliff-fern

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Frond stem and underside of leaves covered in rust coloured chaff or scales.
• Fronds uo to about 30cm long. Tufted (arising together) from a stout rhizome.
• Old Fronds persistent (hanging on) curled, shriveled and rust-brown coloured.

Leaves:

• Leaves pinnate, blades linear-lanceolate.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inducium reniform (kidney shape) attached in center, not withering with age.
• Sori round under large inducium.

Seed:

Not to Be Confused With:

• Can be distinguished from other pinnate-bipinnate ferns in our area by its reniform shaped inducium and the amount of rust coloured chaff on underside of leaves and on stem.

Physiology:

• Has a pleasant smelling fragrance from which it gets its name.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial from rhizome.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Fronds deciduous but persisting dead on the plant for years.
• Producing spores by mid-July.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Sunny cliffs and talus slopes.

Modern:

Industrial:

• Leaf fragrance will persist for year and has been used for scenting closets, chests, and in bouqets and herb potpourri.

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

• Plants used for a tea in Yukutsk.