Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta (Filicophyta)
Class: Pteridopsida (Filicopsida)
Subclass: Filicinae
Order: Athyriales
Family: Athyriaceae
Genus: Athyrium

Athyrium asplenioides

Common name: southern lady fern

• Athyrium asplenioides
• AKA: Athyrium felix-femina var. asplenioides, Asplenium filix-femina
• Range: Eastern United States
• Confused with:
• Athyrium angustum
• Athyrium thelypterioides
• Thelypteris palustris
• Chromosome count: n=40

The southern lady fern prefers seeps, where its feet may be in water. It may grow either in woods or in the open, and may form a dense colony in the open where its rhizome is always wet.

The fronds are twice-pinnate-pinnatifid, and the stipes of uncoiling fiddleheads may sometimes have a rosy color. There is little difference between sterile and fertile fronds, although the fertile ones are taller with slightly more constricted lamina. The plant forms a false crown from a creeping rootstock.

The southern lady fern thrives in the garden, given any reasonably good soil and will make a dense stand over time.