Dryopteris fragrans (L.) Schott.
Fragrant shield fern, fragrant wood fern, dryoptère odorante.
Polypodiaceae, fern family.
Gen. Fil., plate 9. 1834.
Polypodium fragrans L. Sp. Pl. 2: 1089. 1753.
Dryopteris fragrans var. remotiuscula Komarov
Plants with leaves arising from a reddish-brown, persistent clump at ground level, sometimes with a trunk-like stem underground (see image library); less than 15 cm high, or more than 15 cm high; (6–)8–18(–40) cm high. 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. Leaves mostly basal; alternate; compound; 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; leathery; circinate when young (linear or lanceolate fronds); with pinnate veins; adaxial surface glabrous; adaxial surface with sessile glands (aromatic when handled). Blades abaxial surface scaly (along the rachis; these scales and the indusia can make the underside of the leaves appear furry-fuzzy). Leaf margins crenate (margins of the pinnae). Plants reproducing by spores borne in sporangia. Sori with a distinct indusium. Indusia ovate, whitish, lanceolate scales that fall early.
Chromosome information. 2n = 82.
Distribution. Circumpolar. Arctic, or alpine. Range in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago widespread. Greenland, Canada, United States, Eurasia. USA: Alaska. Arctic Islands: Baffin, Devon, Banks, Victoria, Southampton, Coats.
Ecology and habitat. Substrates, slopes, ridges, cliffs (and rock screes); dry, moderately well drained; non-calcareous rocks; rock, gravel, till; with low organic content.
Illustrations. • Plant in habitat. Plants growing in rocky habitat at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. CMN Photo Library S78–723. Photograph by Mildred and Raymond D. Wood. • Plant in habitat. Plants photographed in Nunavut at Kugluktuk (Copermine). CMN Photo Library S78–284. Photograph by Mildred and Raymond D. Wood. • 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.C. LeBlanc, and M.J. Dallwitz 2000 onwards. Pteridophytes of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval.’ Version: 23rd February 2001. http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/’. Dallwitz (1980), Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) , and Aiken, Dallwitz et al. (1999) should also be cited (see References).
