Vandenboschia boschiana (J.W. Sturm ex Bosch) Ebihara & K. Iwats.

Appalachian Bristle Fern; Appalachian Filmy Fern

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Appalachian Filmy Fern is a native evergreen perennial in the Filmy Fern family (Hymenophyllaceae). It is native to the northern third of Alabama. Appalachian Filmy Fern occurs on non-calcareous rocks in steep, deeply shaded grottos and overhangs. It is a perennial with long creeping rhizomes. The rhizomes are covered in dark branched or un-branched hairs. The unbranched hairs may be gland tipped. Leaves are widely spaced, petiolate, lanceolate in outline, and 1-2 pinnate or pinnatifid. The leaves have glandular hairs on the main veins. Spores are produced in conic involucres at the base of lobes on lateral veins. A bristle-like structure called a sporangial receptacle sticks out of the involucral cone. This species was earlier treated in the genus Trichomanes as T. boschianum J.W.Sturm ex Bosch. Plants of this species are dependent on a consistently moist environment. Populations have suffered greatly during recent droughts, with high levels of mortality. Whole populations have declined or disappeared in some locations.--A. Diamond

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Native S3 (State Rank) G4 (Global Rank)

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