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Phegopteris connectilis — long beech fern

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

Long beech fern has the name 'connectilis' due to the wing on the rachis that connects all but the two lowest pinnae (leaflets) on the frond. These basal pinnae are angled downward. The upper pinnae become more and more fused to create a long-tapering frond tip.

Habitat

Cliffs, balds, or ledges, forests, shores of rivers or lakes, talus and rocky slopes

Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
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 circular or kidney-shaped
Leaf stalk scales
the leaf stalk has scales
Leaf stalk hairs
  • the leaf stalk has hairs
  • there are no hairs on the leaf stalk
Leaf blade length
4–30 cm
Leaf vein tips
the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
Show all characteristics

  • 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
    4–30 cm
    Leaf blade shape
    the leaf blades are roughly triangular
    Leaf blade tip shape
    the tip of the leaf blade is a blunt point (obtuse)
    Leaf blade width
    At least 2 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
    • there are no hairs on the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk length
    80–360 mm
    Leaf stalk relative length
    the leaf stalk is more 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 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
    70–200 mm
    Lobe or leaflet pairs
    9–34
    Lobe or leaflet width
    Up to 30 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
    • wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • forests
    • shores of rivers or lakes
    • talus or rocky slopes

  • Spores or spore cones

    Sorus features
    there are no special features on the sorus
    Sorus shape
    the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
    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

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

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)
Rhode Island
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (code: C)

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Phegopteris hexagonoptera:
basal leaflets connected to the next apical pair by a wing of tissue and in plane with the remainder of the leaf blade (vs. P. connectilis, with basal leaflets not connected to the nex apical pair and usually projected downward and out of plane with the remainder of the blade).

Synonyms

  • Dryopteris phegopteris (L.) C. Christens.
  • Thelypteris phegopteris (L.) Slosson

Family

Thelypteridaceae

Genus

Phegopteris

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

1.  Phegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt N

long beech fern. Dryopteris phegopteris (L.) C. Christens.; Thelypteris phegopteris (L.) Slosson • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Forests, stream banks, ravines, cliff bases, and base of talus slopes. Two forms of this species occur in New England. In the typical form (triploid), the lowest pair of leaflets are usually out of plane with the remaining leaflets and typically are projected downward and form an angle of 45–120 degrees between them. In the tall form (tetraploid), the lowest pair of leaflets usually are ± in plane with the remaining leaflets being only slightly projected downward and form an angle nearly or fully 180 degrees between them. When these two forms occur together (as they frequently do), the tall form is more robust with larger blades and thicker petioles. Preliminary studies showed the tall form is not a hybrid of our two species of beech fern (Driscoll et al. 2003). It is known from ME and VT within New England (though likely overlooked and present in other states).