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Kunth's maiden fern, southern shield fern, widespread maiden fern

Stems

short- to long-creeping, 4–8 mm diam.

Leaves

monomorphic, evergreen, up to 2(–3) cm apart, (15–)50–160 cm.

Petiole

straw-colored, (5–)20–80 × (1–)3–6 mm, at base with brown, linear-lanceolate, hairy scales.

Blade

(9–)30–80 cm, broadest at base, gradually tapered to pinnatifid apex.

Pinnae

(2–)8–15(–20) × (0.6–)1–2.5 cm, incised 3/5–4/5 of width;

segments oblong, rounded to acute at apex;

proximal pair of veins from adjacent segments running to sinus, or nearly so.

Sori

round, medial to supramedial;

indusia tan, hairy, hairs 0.2–0.4 mm;

sporangial glands obscure, yellowish, stalked, arising from sporangial stalks.

Indument

abaxially of hairs mostly 0.3–1 mm on costae, veins, and blade tissue;

veins adaxially with similar hairs but blade tissue usually without hairs, often with scattered yellowish, stalked glands 0.1 mm.

2n

= 144.

Thelypteris kunthii

Habitat Roadsides, ditches, riverbanks, woodlands, limestone sinks
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; TX; e,s Mexico; West Indies; Bermuda; Central America to Costa Rica; South America from Colombia to n Brazil
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Discussion

Thelypteris kunthii occasionally hybridizes with T. augescens and T. ovata in Florida; hybrids with T. hispidula may also occur.

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

Source FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Thelypteridaceae > Thelypteris > subg. Cyclosorus
Sibling taxa
T. augescens, T. dentata, T. grandis, T. hispidula, T. interrupta, T. nevadensis, T. noveboracensis, T. ovata, T. palustris, T. patens, T. pilosa, T. puberula, T. quelpaertensis, T. reptans, T. resinifera, T. reticulata, T. sclerophylla, T. serrata, T. simulata, T. tetragona
Synonyms Nephrodium kunthii, Christella normalis, Dryopteris normalis, T. macrorhizoma, T. normalis, T. saxatilis, T. unca
Name authority (Desvaux) C. V. Morton: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 38: 53. (1967)
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