Bradley's Spleenwort Guide

Bradley's spleenwort is a tufted perennial fern that grows in tight clusters. To identify it, look for these specific features:

: On the underside of mature fronds, you can find small, rusty-brown clusters called sori, which produce spores between June and December. Unique Hybrid Origins

: The frond consists of 6 to 14 pairs of triangular, toothed leaflets. The lowest pair are often the largest, and they gradually decrease in size toward the tip. bradley's spleenwort

: Initially, the hybrid was sterile, but through a rare natural process of chromosome doubling, it became a fertile, independent species.

This fern has a fascinating evolutionary history known as . It originated as a hybrid between the Mountain Spleenwort ( A. montanum ) and the Ebony Spleenwort ( A. platyneuron ). Bradley's spleenwort is a tufted perennial fern that

Bradley's spleenwort - Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Due to its very specific habitat requirements and rare occurrence, it is considered a species of special concern in many states. The lowest pair are often the largest, and

Bradley's spleenwort is highly specialized and is often referred to as an "Appalachian spleenwort".