Family: Thelypteridaceae
Group: Pteridophyte
Substrate:
Terrestrial
Habit:
Herb
Perennation:
Perennial
Native Range: South Florida, the West Indies, southern Mexico and South America.
Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida
State of Florida Status:
Endangered
Florida Natural Areas Inventory State Status:
Critically Imperiled
IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status:
Imperiled
SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence:
Present
SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status:
Native
South Florida History and Distribution: Ranked as critically imperiled in Rare Plants of South Florida (
Gann et al. 2002; pp ) based on three occurrences in five protected areas (Big Cypress National Preserve; Everglades National Park, Frog Pond/L-31 N Transition Lands, and Southern Glades; Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park). There has been significant confusion between this and T. serrata, and this is now known from many additional locations. It was reranked as imperiled in 2024.
SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status:
Cultivated
Comments: Very similar to
Thelypteris serrata, but distinguished by pinnae with fewer, more irregular, and less sharp teeth along the margins. The terminal pinna of
T. reticulata is also as large or larger than all other pinnae, where as
T. serrata usually has a more tapered blade apex (i.e., the pinnae decrease in size toward the tip of the blade). Finally, presence of buds or small plantlets in the axils of proximal lateral pinnae is notable for some
T. reticulata.
See also, IRC’s report
Vascular plant species of management concern in Everglades National Park (Gann 2015), page 74.
