Dryopteris expansa

Common wood fern

Family: Dryopteridaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Common wood fern is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, central coastal, and North Coast Ranges bioregions, including caves in Lava Beds National Monument, in shaded, wooded areas and stream banks at elevations up to 500 meters. As a distinctive fern, it has broadly triangular fronds 30 to 80 centimeters long with dark-colored leaf stalks and intricate scale patterns. Growing with large, complex fronds that are three-times pinnately divided, the plant forms expansive clusters with pinnae that are largest near the base of the frond. Its leaves feature asymmetrical side pinnules, with the lower-side pinnules more than twice the size of the upper-side pinnules on the same frond, creating an intricate layered green texture. The fern's segments are deeply lobed, with some segments featuring bristle-like teeth that add delicate texture to its overall structure.

Habitat: Caves, shaded, wooded areas, especially banks of streams

Elevation: < 500 m (1300 m in MP)

Bioregions: NCo, NCoRO, CCo, MP (caves in Lava Beds National Monument)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.