Athyrium sp.
Lady fern, Lady Fern
Family: Athyriaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Athyrium sp. (Lady fern) is a non-native California perennial in the Athyriaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Dryopteris: Athyrium has elongated or J-shaped spore covers; Dryopteris has round, kidney-shaped covers.; vs Pteridium: Athyrium grows in clumps; Pteridium spreads aggressively by underground runners forming large patches.; vs Woodwardia: Athyrium has scattered individual spore clusters; Woodwardia has chain-like rows of spore cases along veins.; vs Cystopteris: Athyrium is large (1-5 feet) with thick stems; Cystopteris is delicate and under 1 foot with hair-thin stems.; vs Dennstaedtia: Athyrium spore covers are on the vein; Dennstaedtia spore covers form cups at leaflet margins.
Frequently asked questions
Is Athyrium sp. native to California?
No. Athyrium sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Athyrium sp. belong to?
Athyrium sp. is in the Athyriaceae family, genus Athyrium.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.