1. “The Sensitive Fern Family”

2. Onocleaceae 4 genera Consists of 5 north temperate species with only 2 species found in North America Strongly dimorphic fronds- fertile fronds different from sterile fronds http://www.digitalnaturalhistory.com/flora_onocleaceae_index.htm

3. Sensitive Fern Onoclea sensibilis http://www.deq.state.mi.us/pw/Onosen.shtml Found in wet meadows and woods, swamps, and stream banks; usually in slightly acidic soil Height is 18-24 inches Spores are located on separate fertile fronds, within bead-like modified leaflets Stipe (leaf stalk) is a yellow or pale tan, dark brown at the base with a few scales http://www.ct-botanical- society.org/ferns/onocleasens http://www.ct-botanical- society.org/ferns/onocleasens.html

4. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ONSE&photoID=onse_005_avp.jpg Sensitive Fern - Onoclea sensibilis

5. Ostrich Fern Matteuccia struthiopteris Found in moist thickets, especially along streams and rivers Height is 3-5 feet Spores are located on a separate fertile frond that is dense and rigid; they are green maturing to a dark brown Stipe (leaf stalk): rigid, dark brown, and deeply grooved at the base; green and ungrooved above All 3 pictures: http://www.ct-botanical- society.org/ferns/matteucciastru.html

6. Ostrich Fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MAS T

7. Gleason, Henry A., Cronquist, Arthur. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. 2 nd ed. New York botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. pp 213-215. Walters, Dirk R., Keil, David J., Murrell, Zack E. 2006. Vascular Plant Taxonomy. 5 th ed. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa. http://www.ct-botanical-society.org References