Dryopteris fragrans (L.) Schott
Fragrant shield fern, fragrant wood fern, dryoptère odorante.
Polypodiaceae, fern family.
Gen. Fil. 1, plate 9. 1834.
Polypodium fragrans L. Sp. Pl. 2: 1089. 1753.
Type: Herbarium 1251.32 (LINN) lectotype, selected by Jonsell and Jarvis, Nordic J. Bot. 15: 149. 1994.
Dryopteris fragrans var. remotiuscula Komarov
Vegetative morphology. Plants perennial herbs; (6–)8–18(–40) cm high; with leaves arising from a reddish-brown, persistent clump at ground level, sometimes with a trunk-like stem underground (see image library). Roots grey, or black. Ground-level or under-ground stems horizontal, or vertical and often branched (see image library); rhizomatous, or stoloniferous (rarely preserved); elongate, or compact. Scales present; 5–10 (many). Leaves present and green; leaves in a basal tuft; leaves alternate; leaves compound; leaves evergreen (through winter, which is unusual for a fern), or marcescent (and persisting among the new season's growth). Petioles 25–80(–120) mm long (petioles one-third of the length of the leaf); scaly (scales reddish-brown, 2–3 mm wide). Blades (100–)600–1700 mm long; 10–23 mm wide. Blades leathery; circinate when young (linear or lanceolate fronds); veins pinnate. Blades adaxial surface with sessile glands (aromatic when handled); glabrous. Blades abaxial surface scaly (along the rachis; these scales and the indusia can make the underside of the leaves appear furry-fuzzy). Blades abaxial surface hairs very dense. Blade margins crenate (margins of the pinnae). Leaf apices acute. Leaflet arrangement pinnate (pinnate-pinnatifid to 2-pinnate; pinnae in the plane of the blade, linear-oblong, much reduced basal pinnules). Leaflets 5 mm wide.
Reproductive morphology. Sporangia in sori on the under-surface of the leaves. Sori with a distinct indusium. Indusia ovate, whitish, lanceolate scales that fall early.
Chromosome information. 2n = 82. Britton in Fabbri (1963 Canada); Taylor and Lang (1963 western Canada); Britton (1965 central Canada); Britton and Soper (1966 central Canada); Cody and Mulligan (1982 Canada). Ploidy levels recorded 2x.
Distribution. Northern hemisphere distribution: circumpolar; Greenland, Canada, United States, Eurasia. Yukon, Northwest Territories Islands, Continental Northwest Territories, Nunavut Islands, Continental Nunavut, Northern Québec. Arctic, or alpine. Range in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago widespread. Arctic Islands: Baffin, Ellesmere, Banks, Victoria, Southampton (Simpson Peninsula).
Ecology and habitat. Substrates: slopes, ridges, cliffs (and rock screes); dry, or moderately well drained areas; non-calcareous; rocks, gravel, till; with low organic content.
Illustrations. • Close-up of plant. Tussocks protected by withered leaves at base. Finland: Inarin lappi, Kevo, Keneskoski. 21/8–1984. Photo: R.Elven. Voucher in HbTROM. • Plant in habitat. Plants growing in rocky habitat at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. CMN Photo Library S78–723. Photograph by Mildred and Raymond D. Wood. • Close-up of plant. Plant with a basal cover of protecting, withered leaves. Finland: Inarin lappi, Kevojoki. Sept. 1996. Photographed by R.Elven. Voucher in HbTROM. • Habitat. Plants in slightly basic boulder scree. Finland: Inarin lappi, Kevojoki. Aug. 1996. Photographed by R.Elven. • Leaf lower surface. Sporangia on leaf lower surface. Finland: Inarin lappi, Kevojoki. Aug. 1996. Photographed by R.Elven. Voucher in HbTROM. • Close-up of plant. Plant with above ground fronds arising from a mass of scales near ground level, and an old vertical underground stem with fine blackish roots. Inset, shows close up of stem portion covered by leaf bases where fronds have broken off at articulations adjacent to the stem. Specimen collected Nunavut, Baker Lake, T.N. Freeman, 11 August, 1947. DAO 378861. • Arctic Island Distribution.
Cite this publication as: ‘S.G. Aiken, M.J. Dallwitz, L.L. Consaul, C.L. McJannet, L.J. Gillespie, R.L. Boles, G.W. Argus, J.M. Gillett, P.J. Scott, R. Elven, M.C. LeBlanc, A.K. Brysting and H. Solstad. 1999 onwards. Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 29th April 2003. http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/’. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).
