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Montana Field Guide

Montana Field Guides

Northern Swordfern - Polystichum lonchitis
Other Names:  Northern Hollyfern

Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S4S5
C-value:


Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:


 

External Links






 
General Description
Leaves erect, 5–60 cm long. Leaf blade nearly linear. Pinnae rarely overlapping, broadly lanceolate to mitten-shaped, 5–30 mm long with spreading-spiny margins. Indusium with jagged margins (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Species Range
Montana Range Range Descriptions

Native
 


Range Comments
In MT across the western two-thirds of the state; AK to Greenland south to CA, AZ, CO, WI, and QC (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 154

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density

Recency

 

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)



Habitat
Wet, rocky slopes, avalanche chutes, cliffs, moist forest; all elevations (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Stewardship Responsibility

References
  • Literature Cited AboveLegend:   View Online Publication
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
  • Additional ReferencesLegend:   View Online Publication
    Do you know of a citation we're missing?
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
    • Steerey, W. F. 1979. Distribution, range use and population characteristics of Mule Deer associated with the Schafer Creek winter range, Bridger Mountains, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 119 p.
  • Web Search Engines for Articles on "Northern Swordfern"
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Citation for data on this website:
Northern Swordfern — Polystichum lonchitis.  Montana Field Guide.  .  Retrieved on , from