Sceptridium dissectum

Sceptridium dissectum

''Sceptridium dissectum'' is a common fern in the family Ophioglossaceae, occurring in eastern North America. Like other plants in this group, it normally only sends up one frond per year. It has long been the subject of confusion because the frond presents in one of two forms, either the normal form that resembles other plants in the genus, or the skeletonized form .

This is the most common grape fern throughout most of its range. It is a frequent denizen of disturbed lands, often growing with ''Diphasiastrum digitatum'' and ''Asplenium platyneuron''. It has an unusual growing season, with the new frond emerging in July and dying back in May. The frond often turns from green to a bronze color during the winter.

Like other grape ferns, it depends on a mycorrhizal association in the soil.
Sceptridium dissectum forma obliquum Fall,Geotagged,Ophioglossaceae,Ophioglossales,Sceptridium dissectum,Sceptridium dissectum forma obliquum,United States,fern,grapefern,plant

Appearance

''Sceptridium dissectum'' Lyon has two separate fronds. The fertile frond looks superficially like a stalk of grapes while the other sterile frond is leafy. ''Sceptridium dissectum'' leaves are a light green and remains green through most of the year. During the summer the leaves become deciduous while the leaves stay green in the winter. The grape like sporangia range from green to yellow. The petiole or stalk of the plant is green from top to bottom and glabrous as is the sterile frond. ''Sceptridium dissectum'' is a non-flowering plant. The sterile frond or leaf is mostly bipinnate.

At first glance most think there are two separate fronds. The fertile stalk is joined to the stalk of sterile leaf blade near the rhizome. The sporangia resemble grapes which is why these types of ferns are known as grape ferns.  The leaves on a sterile frond have lacy edges. ''Sceptridium dissectum'' stands six to fifteen inches tall. ''Sceptridium dissectum'' can stay a greenish bronze color through winter.
Sceptridium dissectum forma obliquum Sceptridium dissectum forma obliquum (the non-skeletonized leaf form) growing at the edge of an old field reverting to forest. The leaf margins on this individual are a little more denticulate than usual. Botrychium,Fall,Geotagged,Minnesota,Ophioglossaceae,Ophioglossales,Polypodiopsida,Sceptridium,Sceptridium dissectum,Sceptridium dissectum forma obliquum,United States,dissectum,eusporangiate ferns,ferns,forest,grapeferns,plants

Distribution

''Sceptridium dissectum'' ranges from Minnesota, south to northeastern Texas and across the east coast of the USA. The habitats of the Cutleaf Grapefern are woodlands, sandy grasslands, the edge of swamps or ravines. One of the favored habitats of these plants are woodlands of deciduous forests where the Cutleaf Grapefern received winter sun.
Sceptridium dissectum forma dissectum Sceptridium dissectum forma dissectum same individual as https://www.jungledragon.com/image/75009/sceptridium_dissectum_forma_dissectum.html but four years later. Botrychium,Fall,Geotagged,Minnesota,Ophioglossaceae,Ophioglossales,Polypodiopsida,Sceptridium,Sceptridium dissectum,Sceptridium dissectum forma dissectum,United States,dissectum,eusporangiate ferns,ferns,forest,grapeferns,plants

Habitat

''Sceptridium dissectum'' ranges from Minnesota, south to northeastern Texas and across the east coast of the USA. The habitats of the Cutleaf Grapefern are woodlands, sandy grasslands, the edge of swamps or ravines. One of the favored habitats of these plants are woodlands of deciduous forests where the Cutleaf Grapefern received winter sun.
Sceptridium dissectum forma dissectum Sceptridium dissectum forma dissectum in partial shade in an old field reverting to mixed deciduous-evergreen northern mesic forest. Skeletonized leaf form of the species. The fronds are semi-evergreen and new fronds appear in late summer making this a frond of the previous year that has survived intact through the winter. Botrychium,Geotagged,Minnesota,Ophioglossaceae,Ophioglossales,Polypodiopsida,Sceptridium,Sceptridium dissectum,Sceptridium dissectum forma dissectum,Spring,United States,dissectum,eusporangiate ferns,ferns,forest,grapeferns,plants

Uses

Wild Turkey and Ruffed Grouse feed on the leaves as well as the White-Tailed Deer.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionPolypodiophyta
ClassPsilotopsida
OrderOphioglossales
FamilyOphioglossaceae
GenusSceptridium
SpeciesS. dissectum
Photographed in
United States of America