Cystopteris tenuis

(Michx.) Desv.

Upland Brittle Bladderfern

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128574
Element CodePPDRY07090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassFilicopsida
OrderPolypodiales
FamilyCystopteridaceae
GenusCystopteris
Synonyms
Cystopteris fragilis var. mackayiLawsonNephrodium tenueMichx.
Other Common Names
Cystoptère grêle (FR) Mackay's Bladder Fern (EN) Mackay's brittle fern (EN) Mackay's Brittle Fern (EN) Mackay's Fragile Fern (EN) upland brittle bladderfern (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
This species is a fertile allotetraploid derived from an ancient cross between C. protusa and an extinct diploid; hybridization involving C. tenuis and other North American Cystopteris species have generated sterile hybrids, including C. × wagneri and C. × illinoensis (FNA 1993, vol. 2). This species is included in a synopsis of the genus (Shmakov et al. 2018), and the generic placement of this taxon, in Cystopteris, is in accordance with the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I (2016).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-05-16
Change Date2010-02-22
Edition Date2010-02-22
Edition AuthorsDavis, G.
Rank Reasons
Cystopteris tenuis has a broad range across the northeastern U.S. and into Canada. According to FNA in 1993 Cystopteris tenuis is common in the center of it's range, less so in the north and the west. However, Conservation Data Centers in eastern Canada rank it S4 and S5. Uncommon according to Weakley (2008 draft).
Range Extent Comments
Northeastern to the central U.S. and southern Canada; New Brunswick south and west to southern Minnesota, south through Nebraska and Kansas to Oklahoma, Arkanas, Tennessee, and South Carolina in the mountains; outlying reports/occurrences in western South Dakota, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, central Ontario and Quebec (FNA 1993, Kartesz draft 2009).
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
IowaSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
North CarolinaS1Yes
ColoradoS2Yes
TennesseeS1Yes
NebraskaS2Yes
IndianaSNRYes
VirginiaS4Yes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
NevadaS1Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
KentuckyS2Yes
New JerseyS4Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
MissouriS1Yes
DelawareS1Yes
New YorkS4Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
KansasS1Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
South CarolinaSUYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
Nova ScotiaS4Yes
OntarioS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandS1Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
ManitobaS3Yes
QuebecS3Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (4)
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  2. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 2009. Floristic Synthesis of North America. Biota of North America (BONAP). (in press).
  4. Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I. 2016. A Community-Derived Classification for Extant Lycophytes and Ferns. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54(6): 563–603.
  5. Shmakov, A.I., Batkin, A.A., and A.V. Vaganov. 2018. Synopsis of the genus <i>Cystopteris</i> Bernh. (Cystopteridaceae). Ukrainian Journal of Ecology 8(4): 290-297.
  6. Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
  7. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.