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- Deparia acrostichoides
Deparia acrostichoides — silvery false spleenwort
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
The underside of the pinnae (leaflets) of silvery false spleenwort are covered with silvery sori (clusters of spore-producing capsules) and silver hairs.
Habitat
Forests
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf divisions
-
- the leaf blade is compound (divided into leaflets)
- the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
- Plant growth form
- the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
- Spore-bearing leaflets
- the spore-bearing fronds are similar in size and shape to the sterile fronds
- Sorus shape
-
- the sori are long and narrow, and curved
- the sori are long and narrow, and straight
- Leaf stalk scales
- the leaf stalk has scales
- Leaf stalk hairs
- the leaf stalk has hairs
- Leaf blade length
- 30–80 cm
- Leaf vein tips
- the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
-
Growth form
- Life form
- the plant is herbaceous and terrestrial
- Life stage
- the plant is visible as a typical leaf-bearing fern (sporophyte)
- Spore-bearing leaflets
- the spore-bearing fronds are similar in size and shape to the sterile fronds
-
Leaves
- Features of leaves
- there are no special features on the leaves
- Leaf blade length
- 30–80 cm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blades are longer than wide, with roughly parallel sides (oblong)
- the leaf blades are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)
- Leaf blade tip shape
- the tip of the leaf blade is tapered to a narrow point (acuminate)
- Leaf blade width
- At least 12 cm
- Leaf divisions
-
- the leaf blade is compound (divided into leaflets)
- the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
- Leaf lifespan
- the leaves drop off in winter
- Leaf stalk color
- yellow to brown
- Leaf stalk hairs
- the leaf stalk has hairs
- Leaf stalk length
- 100–750 mm
- Leaf stalk relative length
- the leaf stalk is more than a quarter, but less than three quarters as long as the blade
- Leaf stalk scale location
- the scales are present on both the lower and upper halves of the leaf stalk
- Leaf stalk scales
- the leaf stalk has scales
- Leaf stalk vessels
- 2 bundles
- Leaf vein branching
-
- the secondary veins of the leaf blade are not branched
- the secondary veins of the leaf blade branch dichotomously (two equal branches at each branch point)
- Leaf vein tips
- the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
- Leaflet relative size
- the bottom leaflets are about half as long as, to slightly longer than, the leaflets from the middle of the frond
- Leaflet stalks
- the leaflets do not have stalks
- Lobe or leaflet length
- 7–20 mm
- Lobe or leaflet pairs
- 15–20
- Lobe or leaflet shape
-
- the lobe or leaflet is extremely narrow, thread-like
- the lobe or leaflet is rectangular but with rounded ends (oblong)
- Lobe or leaflet width
- Up to 4 mm
- Plant growth form
- the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
- final leaf segment margin
- the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has a smooth or lobed edge
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
- forests
-
Spores or spore cones
- Sorus features
- there are no special features on the sorus
- Sorus shape
-
- the sori are long and narrow, and curved
- the sori are long and narrow, and straight
- Sporangia location
- the spores are clustered on sori on the lower surface of the leaf blade
- Sporangium type
- the sporangia are opaque without an annulus and usually without a stalk (leptosporangiate)
- Spore forms
- there is only one type of spore present
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- widespread (S-rank: S5)
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Asplenium acrostichoides Sw.
- Athyrium thelypterioides (Michx.) Desv.
- Diplazium acrostichoides (Sw.) Butters
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
1. Deparia acrostichoides (Sw.) M. Kato N
silvery false spleenwort. Asplenium acrostichoides Sw.; Athyrium thelypterioides (Michx.) Desv.; Diplazium acrostichoides (Sw.) Butters • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Mesic forests, often rich and/or rocky.