Dryopteris marginalis
Dryopteris marginalis (L.) A. Gray
(Latin: marginalis, bordering or on the periphery or marginal, in reference to the position of the sori typically at margins of ultimate leaf segments)
Local names: marginal wood fern, marginal shield fern, leather wood fern
Rhizomes ascending to erect; leaves monomorphic, evergreen; petioles 1⁄4–1⁄3 length of total leaf, with tawny or cinnamon-colored scales at least at base; leaf blades 1-pinnate-pinnatifid to 2-pinnate-pinnatifid at base, lanceolate, 25–50(–75) cm long, leathery, the basal pinnae slightly reduced, the basal basiscopic pinnule longer than basal acroscopic pinnule; fertile pinnae in distal 2⁄3 of leaf blade; sori mostly at margins of ultimate leaf segments (but some can be adjacent to base of the sinuses); 2n = 82 (Montgomery & Wagner 1993). Terraced stream bank adjacent to the Canadian River; in TX known only from the Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area, Hemphill Co. (J. Singhurst 17614, 15 Oct 2009, BAYLU) in the Panhandle; ne U.S. and adjacent Canada s to AL and GA and w to WI, OK, and TX. Sporulating in TX ?– Oct–? (summer–fall in other states). [Nephrodium marginale (L.) Michx., Polypodium marginale L.] This species was reported as new to TX in 2010 (Mink et al. 2010). The TX location is approximately 200 km disjunct to the nw of the nearest location in Comanche County, OK (Mink et al. 2010). Because it is known from only a single station in Hemphill Co., we consider this species to be of conservation concern in TX.