NC Common Wetland Plants Guide: Woodwardia virginica

Coefficient of Conservatism Values (more info)

Mountains

Piedmont

Coastal Plain

National Wetland Plant List Status (more info)

Eastern Mountains/Piedmont

OBL

Coastal Plain

OBL

FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:

Look for distinctive chain-like vein pattern on midrib of pinnae.

Synonym(s): Anchistea virginica

Description: Medium fern reaching 0.5 m in height. Reproduces by underground rhizomes.

Leaves: Compound fronds with alternate pinnae. Fronds 30 to 70 cm long and 15 to 30 cm wide, rising singly from ground. Leaf base dark, black-brown.

Flowers/Fruit: No flowers, but sori located on undersides of fronds, including rows along pinnule stems. Fertile fronds appear June to September.

Habit and Range: Acidic soils and wet pine flats, mostly in the Coastal Plain. Grows well in sunny locations and responds quickly after fire.

Taxonomic Note: Synonym: Anchistea virginica (the only member of Anchistea in North Carolina). The genus Woodwardia is now considered Eurasian.

Typical Max Plant Height (m):

0.5

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Division:

Bipinnatifid

Leaf Margin:

Toothed

Leaf Shape:

Inflorescence Color:

Brown

Fruit Color:

Brown

Lifespan:

Perennial

Group:

Fern

Family:

Blechnaceae / Fern

Ecoregions Found In:

Statewide

COMMON CONFUSIONS:

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (cinnamon fern) appears similar, but fronds of Woodwardia virginica (Virginia chain fern) rise singly from the ground, not from a cluster. W. virginica also has no hairs at bases of pinnae on the fronds.

Click here to view Osmundastrum cinnamomeum.

Link to side-by-side comparisons page