Introductory
SPECIES: Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken Fern 



ABBREVIATION : 
PTEAQU

SYNONYMS : 
   Pteris aquilina
   Asplenium aquilinum
   Allosorus aquilinus
   Ornithopteris aquilina
   Filix aquilina
   Filix-foemina aquilina
   Pteridium aquilinum var. lanuginosum
   Pteris latiuscula
   Pteridium aquilinum var. champlainese


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   PTAQ


COMMON NAMES : 
   bracken fern
   bracken
   brake fern
   brake
   hog-brake
   grande fougere
   fougere d'aigle
   warabi
   eagle fern
   western bracken
   eastern bracken


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of bracken fern is Pteridium
aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.  At this time bracken fern is considered a single,
worldwide species, although some disagree [42,73,189,232].  There are
two recognized subspecies: aquilinum (formerly typicum) in the Northern
Hemisphere and caudatum in the Southern Hemisphere.  Of the four
varieties of subspecies caudatum, one, var. caudatum, grows as far north
as southern Florida.  Of the eight varieties in subspecies aquilinum,
three grow in North America and one in Hawaii [189,232].

In this report the main emphasis will be given to subspecies aquilinum
and the three main North American varieties of this subspecies:

   var. pubescens
   var. pseudocaudatum
   var. latiusculum

Bracken fern is common the name used for all varieties.  Var. aquilinum is very
closely related to the three North American varieties listed above [42,
232] and has been studied more intensely.  Where information concerning
it or other non-North American bracken fern is included, either the
varietal name or the location is given.

Where varieties of bracken fern overlap, intergradation between them
occurs.  Intermediates between var. pubescens and var. latiusculum occur
along the eastern edge of var. pubescens' range in Wyoming and Colorado
and perhaps in Michigan and Wisconsin.  Likewise, where the ranges of
var. latiusculum and var. pseudocaudatum overlap, intermediates may be
found [73,189,232].


LIFE FORM : 
Fern or Fern Ally

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
M. F. Crane, March 1990


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Crane, M. F. 1990. Pteridium aquilinum. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Species: Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken Fern