Appalachian shoestring fern
Vittaria appalachiana Farrar & Mickel
Vittaria appalachiana, known as the Appalachian shoestring fern, is a fern species in the family Pteridaceae, subfamily Vittarioideae. It is native to the Appalachian Mountains and is unique in that it exists only in the gametophyte stage of development, unlike most ferns that primarily exist in the sporophyte stage. The species reproduces asexually through gemmae.
Description
Vittaria appalachiana is found in moist and shaded outcrops in the Appalachian region. It is distributed across Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. This species was first described in 1991 by Farrar & Mickel. It belongs to the genus Vittaria and is part of the Pteridaceae family. Its common name in English is Appalachian shoestring fern.
Other common names
Appalachian shoestring fern
Distribution
Alabama · Georgia · Indiana · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maryland · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Pennsylvania · South Carolina · Tennessee · Virginia · West Virginia
