Polystichum acrostichoides
(Michx.) Schott
Christmas Fern
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Scott Bailey, CC BY-NC 4.0
Michael J. Papay, CC BY 4.0
Michael J. Papay, CC BY 4.0
James (Eddie) Watkins, CC BY-NC 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.139298
Element CodePPDRY0R010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassFilicopsida
OrderFilicales
FamilyDryopteridaceae
GenusPolystichum
Synonyms
Aspidium acrostichoides(Michaux) Swartz
Other Common Names
Christmas fern (EN) Polystic faux-acrostic (FR)
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.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-05-16
Change Date1984-06-25
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | S5 | Yes |
| New Brunswick | S5 | Yes |
| Prince Edward Island | S2 | Yes |
| Ontario | S5 | Yes |
| Quebec | S4 | Yes |
United StatesN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | SNR | Yes |
| Arkansas | SNR | Yes |
| Rhode Island | SNR | Yes |
| Alabama | SNR | Yes |
| Indiana | S5 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | SNR | Yes |
| West Virginia | S5 | Yes |
| Illinois | S5 | Yes |
| Vermont | S5 | Yes |
| Kentucky | S5 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | S5 | Yes |
| Maine | SNR | Yes |
| South Carolina | S5 | Yes |
| Missouri | SNR | Yes |
| Massachusetts | SNR | Yes |
| Kansas | S2 | Yes |
| Delaware | S5 | Yes |
| Iowa | S4 | Yes |
| Ohio | SNR | Yes |
| New York | S5 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S5 | Yes |
| Georgia | SNR | Yes |
| Virginia | S5 | Yes |
| Mississippi | S5 | Yes |
| Wisconsin | S2 | Yes |
| Tennessee | SNR | Yes |
| Louisiana | SNR | Yes |
| Maryland | SNR | Yes |
| Texas | SNR | Yes |
| Minnesota | S1 | Yes |
| Connecticut | SNR | Yes |
| District of Columbia | S4 | Yes |
| Florida | S4 | Yes |
| Oklahoma | SNR | Yes |
| Michigan | SNR | Yes |
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (159)
Alabama (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain | Talladega National Forest | 4,986 |
| Oakey Mountain | Talladega National Forest | 6,129 |
Arkansas (11)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Mountain | Ouachita National Forest | 1,910 |
| Blue Mountain | Ouachita National Forest | 9,755 |
| Brush Heap | Ouachita National Forest | 4,205 |
| Clifty Canyon | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 1,963 |
| Devils Canyon | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 1,877 |
| Dismal Creek | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 9,160 |
| East Fork | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 13,037 |
| Gee Creek | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 7,957 |
| Indian Creek | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 7,855 |
| Little Blakely | Ouachita National Forest | 3,342 |
| Pedestal Rocks | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 21,957 |
Georgia (15)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Boggs Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 2,073 |
| Cedar Mountain | Chattahoochee National Forest | 1,083 |
| Duck Branch | Chattahoochee National Forest | 194 |
| Ellicott Rock Addition | Chattahoochee National Forest | 690 |
| Helton Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 2,348 |
| Indian Grave Gap | Chattahoochee National Forest | 1,020 |
| Joe Gap | Chattahoochee National Forest | 5,321 |
| Kelly Ridge | Chattahoochee National Forest | 8,325 |
| Lance Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 9,025 |
| Miller Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 701 |
| Patterson Gap | Chattahoochee National Forest | 1,186 |
| Pink Knob | Chattahoochee National Forest | 12,127 |
| Rocky Mountain | Chattahoochee National Forest | 4,269 |
| Sarah's Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 6,888 |
| Tate Branch | Chattahoochee National Forest | 1,069 |
Idaho (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek | Caribou-Targhee National Forest | 118,582 |
Illinois (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Burke Branch | Shawnee National Forest | 6,231 |
Indiana (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Mogan Ridge | Hoosier National Forest | 8,435 |
Kentucky (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Wolfpen | Daniel Boone National Forest | 2,835 |
Maine (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Caribou - Speckled Ext | White Mountain National Forest | 5,988 |
Michigan (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Swamp | Huron-Manistee National Forest | 3,915 |
Mississippi (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy Creek Rare Ii Area | Homochitto National Forest | 2,620 |
Missouri (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Swan Creek Rare II Study Area | Mark Twain National Forest | 7,310 |
New Hampshire (9)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Carr Mountain | White Mountain National Forest | 17,110 |
| Great Gulf Ext. | White Mountain National Forest | 15,110 |
| Jobildunk | White Mountain National Forest | 3,660 |
| Kinsman Mountain | White Mountain National Forest | 8,999 |
| Mt. Wolf - Gordon Pond | White Mountain National Forest | 11,846 |
| Pemigewasset | White Mountain National Forest | 32,255 |
| Presidential - Dry River Ext | White Mountain National Forest | 10,555 |
| Sandwich Range | White Mountain National Forest | 16,797 |
| Wild River | White Mountain National Forest | 46,878 |
North Carolina (27)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bald Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 11,085 |
| Balsam Cone | Pisgah National Forest | 10,591 |
| Bearwallow | Pisgah National Forest | 4,113 |
| Big Indian (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 1,155 |
| Boteler Peak | Nantahala National Forest | 4,205 |
| Cheoah Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 7,795 |
| Chunky Gal (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 3,336 |
| Craggy Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 2,657 |
| Graveyard Ridge (addition) | Pisgah National Forest | 1,958 |
| Harper Creek | Pisgah National Forest | 7,325 |
| Jarrett Creek | Pisgah National Forest | 7,485 |
| Laurel Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 5,683 |
| Linville Gorge Addition | Pisgah National Forest | 2,809 |
| Little Indian (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 640 |
| Lost Cove | Pisgah National Forest | 5,944 |
| Mackey Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 5,934 |
| Middle Prong Addition | Pisgah National Forest | 1,852 |
| Overflow Creek | Nantahala National Forest | 3,379 |
| Sam Knob (addition) | Pisgah National Forest | 2,576 |
| Slide Hollow | Pisgah National Forest | 193 |
| Snowbird | Nantahala National Forest | 8,489 |
| South Mills River | Pisgah National Forest | 8,588 |
| Tusquitee Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 13,670 |
| Wesser Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 4,061 |
| Wilson Creek | Pisgah National Forest | 4,863 |
| Woods Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 9,602 |
| Yellowhammer Branch (add.) | Nantahala National Forest | 1,255 |
Oklahoma (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Beech Creek | Ouachita National Forest | 8,303 |
Pennsylvania (4)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny Front | Allegheny National Forest | 7,430 |
| Clarion River | Allegheny National Forest | 3,821 |
| Minister Valley | Allegheny National Forest | 1,417 |
| Tracy Ridge | Allegheny National Forest | 9,034 |
South Carolina (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Big Mountain | Sumter National Forest | 2,337 |
| Ellicott Rock 2 | Sumter National Forest | 517 |
Tennessee (13)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bald Mountain | Cherokee National Forest | 11,743 |
| Bald River Gorge Addition | Cherokee National Forest | 1,728 |
| Big Laurel Branch Addition | Cherokee National Forest | 5,577 |
| Brushy Ridge | Cherokee National Forest | 7,469 |
| Devil's Backbone | Cherokee National Forest | 4,287 |
| Flint Mill Gap | Cherokee National Forest | 9,494 |
| London Bridge Branch | Cherokee National Forest | 3,387 |
| Rogers Ridge | Cherokee National Forest | 4,738 |
| Sampson Mountain Addition | Cherokee National Forest | 3,064 |
| Slide Hollow | Cherokee National Forest | 4,057 |
| Stone Mountain | Cherokee National Forest | 5,367 |
| Sycamore Creek | Cherokee National Forest | 6,984 |
| Upper Bald River | Cherokee National Forest | 9,202 |
Texas (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Little Lake Creek | National Forests in Texas | 596 |
| Winters Bayou | National Forests in Texas | 730 |
Vermont (4)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bread Loaf | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,768 |
| Devil's Den 09083 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 9,169 |
| Griffith Lake 09084 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,833 |
| Wilder Mountain 09082 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 8,759 |
Virginia (43)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Adams Peak | George Washington National Forest | 7,135 |
| Bear Creek | Jefferson National Forest | 18,274 |
| Beards Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 7,505 |
| Beartown Addition A | Jefferson National Forest | 1,370 |
| Beartown Addition B | Jefferson National Forest | 2,985 |
| Beaver Dam Creek | Jefferson National Forest | 1,135 |
| Broad Run | Jefferson National Forest | 10,971 |
| Brush Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 6,002 |
| Brush Mountain East | Jefferson National Forest | 4,916 |
| Brushy Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 4,168 |
| Crawford Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 9,892 |
| Gum Run | George Washington National Forest | 12,620 |
| Hoop Hole | Jefferson National Forest | 4,652 |
| Hunting Camp Little Wolf Creek | Jefferson National Forest | 8,953 |
| James River Addition | Jefferson National Forest | 1,140 |
| Jerkemtight | George Washington National Forest | 16,687 |
| Kelley Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 7,590 |
| Little Alleghany | George Washington National Forest | 10,215 |
| Little River | George Washington National Forest | 27,292 |
| Little Walker Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 9,818 |
| Mill Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 10,840 |
| Mountain Lake Addition A | Jefferson National Forest | 1,469 |
| Mountain Lake Addition B (VA) | Jefferson National Forest | 3,405 |
| Mountain Lake Addition C | Jefferson National Forest | 494 |
| Mt. Pleasant | George Washington National Forest | 8,933 |
| New London Bridge Branch | Jefferson National Forest | 844 |
| North Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 8,377 |
| Northern Massanutten | George Washington National Forest | 9,444 |
| Oak Knob | George Washington National Forest | 10,882 |
| Oliver Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 13,090 |
| Patterson Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 4,865 |
| Peters Mountain Addition B | Jefferson National Forest | 2,909 |
| Price Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 9,119 |
| Raccoon Branch | Jefferson National Forest | 4,388 |
| Ramseys Draft Addition | George Washington National Forest | 12,781 |
| Rogers Run | Jefferson National Forest | 181 |
| Seng Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 6,428 |
| Shawvers Run Addition | Jefferson National Forest | 1,927 |
| Skidmore | George Washington National Forest | 5,641 |
| Southern Massanutten | George Washington National Forest | 11,985 |
| The Priest | George Washington National Forest | 5,737 |
| Three Ridges | George Washington National Forest | 4,745 |
| Three Sisters | George Washington National Forest | 8,149 |
West Virginia (18)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Canaan Loop | Monongahela National Forest | 7,867 |
| Cranberry Addition | Monongahela National Forest | 11,123 |
| Cranberry Glades Botanical Area | Monongahela National Forest | 785 |
| Dolly Sods Roaring Plain | Monongahela National Forest | 13,392 |
| Dry Fork | Monongahela National Forest | 657 |
| Dry River (WV) | George Washington National Forest | 7,331 |
| East Fork Of Greenbrier | Monongahela National Forest | 7,167 |
| Falls Of Hills Creek | Monongahela National Forest | 6,925 |
| Glady Fork | Monongahela National Forest | 3,239 |
| Little Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 8,172 |
| Marlin Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 9,344 |
| Mcgowan Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 10,504 |
| Middle Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 19,020 |
| Mountain Lake Addition B (WV) | Jefferson National Forest | 557 |
| North Mountain Hopeville | Monongahela National Forest | 6,525 |
| Seneca Creek | Monongahela National Forest | 22,287 |
| Tea Creek Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 8,295 |
| Turkey Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 6,421 |
References (3)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.