Wild Urban Ferns #1

Blunt-Lobe Woodsia & Ebony Spleenwort

For those of you who have been on our Fern Walks, you know we are always looking for ferns in their natural environments, which are usually woods, fields, wetlands and rocky areas. Sometimes the ferns surprise us though and show up on their own in unexpected urban environments. Ferns that grow on rocks are the most likely ones to be found in these alternative environments. Since there are a few nice examples around, I thought I would do a few posts on ones to look for. I am not including gardens, garden escapes or restoration plantings. These are ferns that have found a way to survive on their own in unusual places.

The photo shows Blunt-lobe Woodsia or Cliff Fern (Woodsia obtusa) on the left, and Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) on the right. Our fern friend and regular member of our PVFS fern walks Dennis saw these as he was driving through Greenfield, and told me about them. There are probably 2 dozen or more of the Blunt-Lobe Woodsias growing out of the cracks between the stone blocks of a railroad underpass on Bank Row, along with a few of the Ebony Spleenworts. The Woodsias are relatively uncommon to find around here, and this place is a lot easier to get to than the usual habitat of cliff ledges and rock outcrops. The Ebony Spleenworts are found in variety of habitats but commonly on rock or shallow soil, and also in old mortared walls. If you want to go see these, please be careful. Because of the traffic and narrowness of the underpass, the only safe way to view them is by parking your car nearby and using the sidewalk on the west side.

So keep your eyes open when traveling through built areas for unexpected ferns. Thank you Dennis for the news of the sighting.