Flora of North America species comparison

Polystichum scopulinum is widely distributed in the United States west of the 110th meridian, where it occurs in sporadic, usually small populations. The species is abundant only on montane serpentine outcrops. The populations in Newfoundland and Quebec are dramatically disjunct.

Polystichum scopulinum is an allopolyploid, believed on morphologic grounds to be derived from P. imbricans × lemmonii (D. H. Wagner 1979). Based on putative hybridization between P. scopulinum and P. munitum (P. S. Soltis et al. 1989; W. H. Wagner Jr. 1973), however, P. munitum may also be involved. This hybrid is discussed under P. californicum.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Polystichum acrostichoides is a common species most closely related to P. munitum (G. Yatskievych et al. 1988), which also occurs extensively on forest floors.

The dimorphic pinnae of Polystichum acrostichoides are not unique to the genus; they are found also in some Asian species. Numerous variants have been named, mostly as forms, but none are of taxonomic consequence. Hybrids are known with P. braunii (P. × potteri Barrington) and P. lonchitis (P. × hagenahii Cody). The latter hybrid is rare, known only from its type locality in Ontario, where it grows with both parents. It is recognized by its intermediate morphology (leaves wider than P. lonchitis, narrower than P. acrostichoides, with slightly contracted sorus-bearing pinnae) and malformed sporangia and spores. Polystichum × potteri is much more widespread, from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec through New England to Pennsylvania. It resembles P. braunii but has narrower leaves bearing malformed sporangia.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)