FAMILY: LYGODIACEAE

ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:

LEAVES: rachis of leaves (fronds) climb by twining (stems are below-ground rhizomes); Lygodium has the longest leaves of any plant in the world; pinnae are once to twice (to thrice) compound, deltoid or lanceolate in outline, fertile pinnae bearing sporangia on small marginal lobes; spores mature in fall

FLOWER: fertile and sterile pinnules

FRUIT:

STEMS: rhizomes (subterranean)

FORM: high-climbing herbaceous vine, climbs by twining of the frond rachis; can also form mats on the ground and cover low vegetation

HABITAT: mesic forests and especially abundant on forest edges

WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative (FAC): Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region

RANGE: mesic forests and especially abundant on forest edges
[Global Range Map]  [U.S. Range Map]

USES: floral arrangements, pressed plant art; reportedly preferred forage for cows in rangelands

Best Recognition Features:

1. herbaceous fern with long, climbing to sprawling fronds, climbing by twining of the rachis
2. pinnae once to twice compound, distinctive difference between fertile and sterile pinnae

NOTE: American climbing fern (Lygodium palmatum) has palmately compound pinnules