Woodsia glabella : Smooth Woodsia

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Pteridophyta (spore bearing)

Class: Polypodopsida (fern class)

Family: Aspidiaceae (Fern Family)

Genera: Woodsia (Woodsia) (Named after Joseph Woods (1776-1864) an English architect and botanist)

Species: glabella (Lat. for smooth not having down or hairs)

English Name(s):

Smooth Woodsia,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Fronds 5cm-16cm long from short rhizome (underground stem).
• Fronds yellow-green to light-green, lacking any hairs or scales.

Leaves:

• Pinnate or lobate.

Reproductive Parts:

• Sori round with inducium.
• Inducium thread or hair like arising from beneath the sorus.

Seed:

Not to Be Confused With:

• Can be distinguished from Asplenium viride by the shape of the sori. A.viride has long narrow sori and inducium is not thread like.
• Can be distinguished from Woodsia alpina by the green stem. W.alpina has a brown stem.
• Similar to other small ferns such as Asplenium viride or Woodsia alpina.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Fronds deciduous.
• Producing spores my mid-july.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• In moss or humus among rocks. Or in cool protected crevices.
• Preferes calcareous rocks.

Modern:

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Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

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