Interrupted Fern
Quick Facts & Botanical Stats
Species Overview
Interrupted Fern gets its name from the gap created in middle of its fronds where spore leaflets grow.
Physical Appearance & Anatomy
Large arching green fronds with dark brown, spore-bearing leaflets in the middle of the blade.
Habitat & Growth Behavior
Forms stately circular crowns in rich, moist woodland soils.
Ecological Role & Symbioses
Provides dense ground shelter for amphibians and woodland songbirds.
Reproduction, Lifecycle & Propagation
Spore-bearing leaflets wither after releasing spores, leaving an 'interrupted' gap.
Conservation Status & Environmental Threats
Common and stable in mature eastern forests.
Interesting Fun Facts
- Fossil evidence shows this fern species has remained virtually unchanged for over 75 million years.
- The gap in the middle of the frond looks as if middle leaflets were clipped away.
Related Plants
Boston Fern
Least ConcernWhat is a Boston fern? The Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis') is a popular species of fern belonging to the Lomariopsidaceae family. Native to humid, tropical woodlands and swamps, it is globally famous for its lush, arching, feathery fronds. Discovered in a shipment of ferns from Boston to Philadelphia in 1894, it became a classic Victorian houseplant. Like all ferns, it is a non-flowering vascular plant that reproduces via spores rather than seeds.
Ostrich Fern
Least ConcernWhat is an ostrich fern? The ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a large crown-forming deciduous fern belonging to the Onocleaceae family. Native to temperate regions of North America and Eurasia, it is named for its large, upright, feathery green fronds that resemble ostrich feathers. Are ostrich ferns edible? Yes, the tightly coiled young fronds, known as fiddleheads, are harvested in spring and eaten as a seasonal delicacy in North America and Japan.