OSMUNDA regalis L.

Ayesha K. Johnson

Common Names: Royal fern, King's fern, Flowering fern, Locust fern



(picture of O. regalis L.)
borrowed by the UGA herberium

(Picture of O. regalis L.)
borrowed by the UGA herberium




SPECIES LIST DIVISION:

Pteridophyta

CLASS:

Filicopsida

SUBCLASS:

Polypodiidae

ORDER:

Polypodiales

SUBORDER:

Polypodiineae

FAMILY:

Osmundaceae

GENUS:

Osmunda




IDENTIFICATION:

On average the O. regalis can mostly be recoginized by its common name: Royal fern. It can grow up to six feet in length. It is one of the largest native American species. The 4- inch leaflets turn from red to green as they mature. The roostock is stout, short creeping and erect. It lives in wet woods, cypress and in creek swamps ( Small, 1938). The individual pinnia are smooth and green and grow in a clustered fashion. The royal fern has a wide reange of distributiuon, it is found in the northern and southern hemispheres of the Old ans New worlds. Within the United States, it is widespread in the Eastern part of the states and is frequent throughout all of Georgia (Synder and Bruce, 1986). Carl Linnaeus names the Osmunda regalis in 1753. The species name regalis, refers to its handsome, broad fronds. The phrase ³Flowering- fern² is often used to describe this ornamantal fern. A patch of this fern often appears as a pleasant bed of flowering plants, hence the name regalis( Jones, 1987).


GEOGRAPHY TABLE
OSMUNDA regalis L..

AREA

STATUS

REFERENCES

N. AMERICA YES SMALL, 1938
E. NORTH AMERICA YES SMALL, 1938
S.E. UNITED STATES YES SMALL, 1938
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN STATES YES SMALL, 1938
COASTAL PLAIN YES McVAUGH & PRYOR , 1951
PIEDMONT YES McVAUGH & PRYOR, 1951
BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS MARGINAL McVAUGH & PRYOR, 1951
GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK RARE McVAUGH & PRYOR, 1951
RIDGE AND VALLEY NO McVAUGH & PRYOR, 1951
CUMBERLAND PLATEAU YES SYNDER & BRUCE, 1986
CENTRAL ARCH YES SYNDER & BRUCE, 1986
GEORGIA YES SYNDER & BRUCE,1986
CLARKE COUNTY, GA YES PERSONAL OBS.
SAMıS FARM YES PERSONAL OBS.
OLD FIELD NO PERSONAL OBS.
WETLAND YES PERSONAL OBS.
WOODS MARGINAL PERSONAL OBS.
1-HECTARE PLOT RIVERSIDE PERSONAL OBS



NATURAL HISTORY:



This majestic fern grows in wet soil or in permenent water. Plants form a dense clump of fresh green fronds amd are an ideal subject for landscapping with ponds. In cold climates they become deciduous in winter ( Mickel, 1994).

HOW TO ENCOUNTER:

Because this species is abundant all over georgia, it is easy to locate. It is very plentiful at Samıs Farm, Athens GA. To locate them at Samıs Farm you may have to get a little dirty, you must visit the riverside or wetland areas of Samıs Farm. Then just look for a Group of beautiful, bushy, plush green plants near or in standing water. You canıt miss them! As far as the rest of Georgia is concerned, just find go along a riverıs edge or tromp through a wetland area (i.e. Cumberland island) and you will find plenty.




REFERENCES:

Frankel, Edward. 1981. Ferns, A Natural History. The Stephen Greene Press: Brattleboro, VT. pp 13.

Jones, David L. 1987. Encyclopedia of Ferns. Timber Press: Portland, OR. pp 3-20.

McVaugh, Rogers and Joseph H. Pryor. 1951. Ferns of Georgia. The University of Georgia Press: Athens, GA. pp 3-5, 106, 116.

Mickel, John T. 1994. Ferns: for American Gardens. MacMillian Publishing Co. New York. pp 231-233, 315.

Perl, Phillip.1977. Ferns. Time-Life Books: Alexandria, VA. pp 13, 143-145,127.

Small, John K. 1938. Ferns of Southeastern States. The Science Press Printing Co. : Lancaster, PA. pp 340-344,447-458, 315-316.

Snyder, Llyod H. and James G. Bruce.1986. Field Guide to the Ferns and other Pteridophytes of Georgia. The University of Georgia Press: Athens, GA. pp 38,128.

Tryon, Rolla M. and Alice F. 1981. Ferns and Allied Plants: with special reference to Tropical America. Springer-Verlag. New York.


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