Common Fern Names Cross Reference
This file allows you to look up a common name for a fern and get a matching scientific name.
The list is matched to the Fern Catalog, so it is in no way a complete listing. Please note that two of the
problems associated with common names are (1) the same fern can have multiple common names and (2) multiple
ferns can have the same common name. Many of the common names are very localized (e.g., hapu'u in Hawai'i for
Cibotium glaucum). We continue to look for additions to this list. Please send your corrections,
changes, and additions to Bob Halley, keeper of the list.
[a]
[b]
[c]
[d]
[e]
[f]
[g]
[h]
[i]
[j]
[k]
[l]
[m]
[n]
[o]
[p]
[q]
[r]
[s]
[t]
[u]
[v]
[w]
[x]
[y]
[z]
A
Alpine Water Fern = Blechnum penna-marina
American Maidenhair = Adiantum pedatum
American Staghorn = Platycerium andinum
Anderson's Holly Fern = Polystichum andersonii
Austral King Fern = Todea barbara
Australian Hare's-foot Fern = Davallia pyxidata
Autumn Fern = Dryopteris erythrosora
B
Ball Fern = Davallia mariesii
Basket Fern = Drynaria rigidula
Beaded Lip-fern = Cheilanthes lendigera
Bear's Foot Fern = Phlebodium Genus
Bear's Paw Fern = Aglaomorpha meyeniana
Berry Bladder Fern = Cystopteris bulbifera
Bird's Foot Fern = Pellaea mucronata
Bird's Nest Fern = Asplenium australisicum, Asplenium nidus
Black caterpillar Fern = Scyphularia pentaphylla
Black Stem Maidenhair = Adiantum formosum
Boston Fern = Nephrolepis exaltata
Boulder Fern = Dennstaedia punctilobula
Braun's Holly Fern = Polystichum braunii
Brazilian Tree Fern = Blechnum brasiliense
Brittle Bladder Fern = Cystopteris fragilis
Broad Buckler Fern = Dryopteris dilatata
Bushy Spike-moss = Selaginella biglovii
Button Fern = Pellaea rotundifolia
C
California Cloak Fern = Notholaena californica
California Lace Fern = Aspidotis californica
Canary Island Davallia = Davallia canariensis
Carrot Fern = Onychium japonicum
Central American Strap Fern = Campyloneurum angustifolium
Chinese Brake = Pteris vittata
Christmas Fern = Polystichum acrostichoides
Coarse Sword Fern = Nephrolepis biserrata
Coffee Fern = Pellaea andromedifolia
Common Maidenhair = Adiantum aethiopicum
Common Staghorn = Platycerium bifurcatum
Countess Dalhousie's Spleenwort = Asplenium dalhousie
Creeping Button Fern = Pyrrosia nummularifolia
Cretan Brake Fern = Pteris cretica
Curly Fern = Cheilanthes sieberi
D
Deer Fern = Blechnum spicant
Deer's Tongue Fern = Pyrrosia lingua
Delta Maidenhair = Adiantum raddianum
Disk Staghorn = Platycerium coronarium
Dwarf Hare's-foot Fern = Davallia repens
Dwarf Holly Fern = Cyrtomium caryotideum
Dwarf Tree Fern = Blechnum gibbum
E
East Indian Polypody = Phymatosorus scolopendria
Edible Fern = Diplazium esculentum
Elephant Ear Fern = Elaphoglossum crinitum
Elkhorn = Platycerium bifurcatum
European Chain Fern = Woodwardia radicans
Evergreen Maidenhair = Adiantum venustum
F
Fendler's Lip Fern = Cheilanthes fendleri
Fiji Davallia = Davallia fejeensis
Fishbone Fern = Nephrolepis cordifolia
Five Finger Fern = Adiantum hispidulum
Five-Fingered Maidenhair = Adiantum pedatum
Florida Strap Fern = Campyloneurum phyllitidis
Fork Fern = Psilotum nudum
Four Leaf Fern = Marsilea crenata
Fragile Fern = Cystopteris fragilis
G
Giant Chain Fern = Woodwardia fimbriata
Giant Hare's-foot Fern = Davallia solida
Giant Leather Fern = Acrostichum danaeifolium
Giant Maidenhair Fern = Adiantum trapeziforme
Giant Staghorn = Platycerium superbum
Golden Tree Fern = Dicksonia fibrosa
Green Caterpillar Fern = Polypodium formosanum
Green Cliff Brake = Pellaea viridis
Green Penny Fern = Lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Green Staghorn = Platycerium hillii
Grey's Cloak Fern = Notholaena grayi
H
Hacksaw Fern = Doodia media
Hairy Lip Fern = Cheilanthes lanosa
Hammock Fern = Blechnum appendiculatum, Blechnum occidentale
Hand Fern = Doryopteris pedata
Hapu’u = Cibotium glaucum
Hard Fern = Blechnum spicant
Hard Shield Fern = Polystichum aculeatum
Hard Water Fern = Blechnum watsii
Hare's Foot Fern = Davallia mariesii
Hart's Tongue Fern = Asplenium scolopendrium
Hawaiian Tree Fern = Cibotium glaucum
Hay-Scented Fern = Dennstaedia punctilobula
Herring Bone Fern = Blechnum spicant
I
Indian Dream = Aspidotis densa
Indian Staghorn = Platycerium wallichii
J
Japanese Beech Fern = Thelypteris decursive-pinnata
Japanese Claw Fern = Onychium japonicum
Japanese Felt Fern = Pyrrosia lingua
Japanese Holly Fern = Cyrtomium falcatum
Japanese Lady Fern = Deparia petersonii
Japanese Painted Fern = Athyrium niponicum
Java Staghorn = Platycerium willinkii
Jungle Brake = Pteris umbrosa
K
Kanehira = Cyathea aramagemensis
Kangaroo Fern = Microsorum vieillardii, Phymatosorus diversifolius
L
Lace Fern = Microlepia strigosa
Lacy Hare's-foot Fern = Davallia fejeensis
Ladder Brake = Pteris vittata
Ladder Fern = Blechnum spicant
Lady Fern = Athyrium filix-femina
Leather Fern = Rumohra adiantiformis
Lettuce Staghorn = Platycerium elephantotis
Lobed Spleenwort = Asplenium pinnatifidum
M
Mahogany Fern = Didymochlaena truncatula
Maidenhair Spleenwort or Common Spleenwort = Asplenium trichomanes
Male Fern = Dryopteris filix-mas
Mare's Tail Fern = Asplenium polydon
Marsh Fern = Thelypteris palustris
Mauritius Spleenwort = Asplenium daucifolium
Moon Fern = Didymochlaena truncatula
Mother Fern = Asplenium bulbiferum
Mountain Cliff Fern = Woodsia scopulina
Mulga Fern = Cheilanthes sieberi
N
Narrow Beech Fern = Phegopteris connectilis
Narrow-leaf Bird's Nest Fern = Asplenium simplicifrons
Needle Fern = Belvisia mucronata
New Zealand Brake = Pteris macilenta
Norfolk Island Tree Fern = Cyathea brownii
Northern Maidenhair = Adiantum pedatum
O
Oriental Chain Fern = Woodwardia orientalis
Ostrich Fern = Matteuccia struthiopteris
P
Parsley Fern = Cryptogramma crispa
Plate Fern = Microlepia platyphylla
Polynesian Davallia = Davallia solida
Potato Fern = Marratia salicina
Prickly Shield Fern = Arachnoides aristata
Pringle's Lip Fern = Cheilanthes pringlei
Q
Queen Staghorn = Platycerium wandae
R
Rabbit's Foot Fern = Davallia trichomanoides, Phlebodium Genus
Resurrection Fern = Pleopeltis polypodioides
Rock Brake = Cryptogramma crispa
Rosy Maidenhair = Adiantum hispidulum
Rough Maidenhair = Adiantum hispidulum
Rough Tree Fern = Dicksonia squarrosa
Royal Fern = Osmunda regalis
Rusty-Back Fern = Asplenium ceterach
S
Scaly Male Fern = Dryopteris affinis
Scollie = Asplenium scolopendrium
Scott's Spleenwort = Asplenosorus ebenoides
Sensitive Fern = Onoclea sensibilis
Shaggy Shield Fern = Dryopteris cycadina
Shoestring Fern = Vittaria lineata
Shredded Spleenwort = Asplenium aethiopicum
Sickle Fern = Pellaea falcata
Silver Brake = Pteris argyraea
Silver Dollar Maidenhair = Adiantum peruvianum
Silver Elkhorn = Platycerium veitchii
Silver Hare's Foot Fern = Humata tyermanii
Slender Brake = Pteris ensiformis
Smooth Brake Fern = Pellaea glabella
Snake Fern = Blechnum spicant
Soft Shield Fern = Polystichum setiferum
Soft Tree Fern = Dicksonia antarctica
Southern Maidenhair = Adiantum capillus-veneris
Spider Brake = Pteris multifida
Spreading Clubmoss = Selaginella kraussiana
Squirrel's Foot Fern = Davallia trichomanoides
Strap Fern = Campyloneurum xalapense
Strap Fern = Dictymia brownii
Strawberry Fern = Hemionitus palmata
Swamp Fern = Acrostichum aureum
Swamp kiokio = Blechnum minus
Swamp Water Fern = Blechnum serrulatum
Sword Fern = Nephrolepis cordifolia, Nephrolepis exaltata
T
Tailed Fern = Belvisia mucronata
Tender Brake = Pteris tremula
Toothed Davallia = Davallia denticulata
Triangle Staghorn = Platycerium stemaria
U
V
Variegated Shield Fern = Arachniodes simplicior
Vegetable Fern = Diplazium esculentum
Venus Maidenhair Fern = Adiantum capillus-veneris
Vine Fern = Stenochlaena tenuifolia
W
Walking Maidenhair = Adiantum caudatum
Wall Rue Spleenwort = Asplenium ruta-muraria
Water Clover = Marsilea quadrifolia
Water Shamrock = Marsilea quadrifolia
Wavy Cloak Fern = Astrolepis sinuata
Weeping Spleenwort = Asplenium flaccidum, Asplenium polydon
Weeping Sword Fern = Nephrolepis falcata
Western Maidenhair = Adiantum aleuticum
Western Sword Fern = Polystichum munitum
Wheki = Dicksonia squarrosa
Wheki-ponga = Dicksonia fibrosa
Winged Fern = Thelypteris decursive-pinnata
Woolly Lip Fern = Cheilanthes tomentosa
Wright's Lip Fern = Cheilanthes wrightii
X
Y
Z