Hay-scented fern, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, is a fern of the family Dennstaedtiaceae native to eastern North America, forming dense colonial stands in old fields, open woodlands and disturbed ground by way of its fast-spreading underground rhizomes. Its finely divided, yellow-green fronds release a fragrance reminiscent of freshly cut hay when crushed or dried, the source of its common name, and its aggressive spread can suppress the germination of tree seedlings in some forest understories.
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