Illinois ferns poster

              maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum
broad beech fern Phegopteris hexagonoptera royal fern Osmunda regalis
spinulose wood fern (left & inset) Dryopteris carthusiana
marginal shield fern (right & inset) Dryopteris marginalis narrow-leaved glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
Appalachian filmy fern Trichomanes boschianum rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
black-footed quillwort Isoëtes melanopoda Mexican mosquito fern Azolla mexicana
northern lady fern Athyrium felix-femina water clover Marsilea quadrifolia
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
common woodsia Woodsia obtusa
purple cliff brake Pellaea atropurpurea
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
slender lip fern Cheilanthes feei
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
scouring rush Equisetum hyemale
shining fir moss Huperzia lucidula
silvery glade fern Deparia acrostichoides
net-veined chain fern Woodwardia areolata
rattlesnake fern (top) Botrychium virginianum
bronze grapefern (bottom) B. dissectum v. obliquum
adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea
southern running pine Diphasiastrum digitatum
meadow spike moss Selaginella apoda
The ferns and their relatives (lycophytes) living today give us a
glimpse of what the earth’s vegetation looked like hundreds of
millions of years ago when they were the dominant plants. Found in
all but the coldest and driest environments, there are about 12,000
species of ferns and lycophytes worldwide, the third most numerous
plant group aer seed plants and bryophytes (mosses, liverworts,
hornworts). is poster depicts 31 of the 110 types of ferns and lyco-phytes
found in Illinois. Native ferns are important ecological com-ponents,
and they can also be used for ornamentation, landscaping,
fertilizer and food. Moreover, these beautiful and curious plants
provide excellent subjects for botanical education. The fascinating
ferns are part of Illinois’ wonderful natural heritage!
is tree shows a current concept of the
evolutionary relationships among
Illinois fern (green) and lycophyte
(yellow) families (modified from Smith
et al. 2006). Diphasiastrum, Selaginella,
and Isoëtes are members of an earlier
branching group called lycophytes.
Although sometimes called “fern allies,”
they are only distantly related to ferns.
In contrast, Equisetum, once considered
distinct, is indeed a fern! ese
relatively new concepts come from
sperm structure and DNA data.
is poster made possible by:
Illinois Department of
Natural Resources
Division of Education
Text by: Daniel Nickrent, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Photo credits and copyrights ©:
Daniel Nickrent (DN), Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Peter Pelser (PP), University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Robbin Moran (RM), New York Botanical Garden
John Ta (JT), Illinois Natural History Survey
Funding for this poster was made possible in part by contributions to the
Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund.
Pteridaceae
Woodsiaceae
Aspleniaceae
Thelypteridaceae
Blechnaceae
Onocleaceae
Dryopteridaceae
Polypodiaceae
Dennstaedtiaceae
Hymenophyllaceae
Osmundaceae
Equisetaceae
Ophioglossaceae
Isoëtaceae
Selaginellaceae
Lycopodiaceae
Marsileaceae
Salviniaceae
Polypodium virginanum
Dryopteris carthusiana
Dryopteris marginalis
Polystichum acrostichoides
Onoclea sensibilis
Woodwardia areolata
Phegopteris hexagonoptera
!elypteris palustris
Athyrium felix-femina
Deparia acrostichoides
Diplazium pycnocarpon
Woodsia obtusa
Asplenium platyneuron
Asplenium rhizophyllum
Adiantum pedatum
Cheilanthes feei
Pellaea atropurpurea
Pteridium aquilinum
Azolla mexicana
Marsilea quadrifolia
Trichomanes boschianum
Osmunda cinnamomea
Osmunda regalis
Equisetum hyemale
Botrychium dissectum var. obliquum
Botrychium virginianum
Ophioglossum vulgatum
Isoëtes melanopoda
Selaginella apoda
Diphasiastrum digitatum
Huperzia lucidula
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Illinois
Wildlife
Preservation Fund