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Thelypteris serrata (Cav.) Alston
Toothed lattice-vein fern

Thelypteris serrata
Copyright by: Mike Rosenthal

Family: Thelypteridaceae

Group: Pteridophyte

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Peninsular Florida, the West Indies, southern Mexico, Central America and South America.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

NatureServe Global Status: Apparently Secure

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 Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Very similar to Thelypteris reticulata, but distinguished by pinnae with more, more regular, and sharper teeth along the margins. T. serrata usually has a more tapered blade apex (i.e., the pinnae decrease in size toward the tip of the blade), where as the terminal pinna of T. reticulata is  as large or larger than all other pinnae.

Although ranked as critically imperlied by IRC in Rare Plants of South Florida (Gann, Bradley and Woodmansee 2002), a number of new populations have been discovered since 2002 and additional herbarium specimens have become available leading to the downranking of this to imperiled in April, 2014.

For more images, click on the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants link below. See also Florida Natural Areas Inventory's Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida page (Chafin 2000).

Other data on Thelypteris serrata available from :

Thelypteris serrata has been found in the following 7 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Present Native
Everglades National Park Assumed to be Present Native
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park Present Native
Halpatiokee Regional Park Present Native
J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area Present Native
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Native
Lake Okeechobee Marshes Presumed Extirpated Presumed Extirpated

Thelypteris serrata has been found in the following 5 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Collier County Native
Glades County Native
Martin County Native
Miami-Dade County Native
Palm Beach County Native

Thelypteris serrata has been found in the following 5 habitats :
Blackwater Stream
Disturbed Wetland
Floodplain Marsh
Floodplain Swamp
Strand Swamp

All Images:

Thelypteris serrata
Copyright by: Mike Rosenthal