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Lady Fern
Athyrium niponicum
イヌワラビ
A common fern found in moist mountain forests and understory throughout Japan. Bipinnately compound fronds are soft and bright green. It resembles bracken fern but is inedible, hence the name 'Inu-warabi' ('useless bracken').
Identification Points
- ✓Sori J-shaped or hook-shaped
- ✓Stipe base sometimes tinged dark purple
- ✓Fronds soft, bipinnately compound
Habitat
Forest understory, forest edges, and moist montane sites
Season
Spring–autumn (fronds)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Herb
Leaf type
Compound
Habitat
Wetland
Phylogenetic Positionメシダ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Vascular plants > Polypodiophyta > Polypodiopsida > Polypodiales > Woodsiaceae
Divergence Era
Cretaceous (ca. 100 million years ago–)
Evolution Notes
Woodsiaceae (Athyriaceae) is a highly diverse fern group with many species distributed in Japan. Indusium shape is an important diagnostic character for the family.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification