Royal Fern Osmunda regalis Linnaeus var. spectabilis (Willdenow) Gray    Synonyms: American Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis spectabilis, Osmunda spectabilis.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Pteridophyta   >   Class Polypodiopsida   >   Order Osmundales   >   Family Osmundaceae   >   Genus Osmunda   

Status:

Royal Fern is a common fern of wet forested areas, swamps, and road side ditches. It can be found throughout the state in suitable habitat.

Description:

All the Royal Fern in Maryland belong to the variety Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis.i

Relationships:

Host plant for various moth species including Olethreutes osmundana (Gilligan, Wright, & Gibson, 2008).

There are 535 records in the project database.

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Royal Fern growing in Wicomico Co., Maryland (5/5/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Royal Fern found growing in Wicomico Co., Maryland (5/23/2010). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/7/2016). Photo by Elizabeth Miller. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Wicomico Co., Maryland (6/17/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/12/2016). Photo by Jim Wilkinson. (MBP list)

A newly emerged Royal Fern in Talbot Co., Maryland (4/23/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/29/2015). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Royal Fern growing in Dorchester Co., Maryland (4/2/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Royal Fern emerging in Kent Co., Maryland (3/27/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/27/2015). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Royal Fern growing in Kent Co., Maryland (4/30/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Royal Fern growing in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/14/2016). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Harford Co., Maryland (5/3/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Royal Fern (fruiting structure) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/15/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/1/2018). Photo by Robert Warren. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/26/2018). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/7/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Prince George's Co., Maryland (11/2/2019). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Kent Co., Maryland (5/2/2015). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Charles Co., Maryland (5/21/2020). (c) spyingnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by spyingnaturalist via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/29/2015). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in late fall on Assateague Island, Worcester Co., Maryland (11/14/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Royal Fern in Caroline Co., Maryland (4/28/2022). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

An Osmunda x ruggii (Osmunda hybrid) specimen discovered and collected on a Maryland Native Plant Society field trip in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/23/2009). Photo by Rod Simmons. (MBP list)

An Osmunda x ruggii (Osmunda hybrid) specimen discovered and collected on a Maryland Native Plant Society field trip in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/23/2009). Photo by Rod Simmons. (MBP list)


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