Virginia Chain Fern

Virginia chain fern, Woodwardia virginica, is a fern of the family Blechnaceae native to eastern North America, growing in wet, acidic habitats such as bogs, swamps and the margins of ponds. Its common name refers to the distinctive chain-like pattern of spore-bearing structures arranged in rows along the veins on the underside of its fertile fronds, a diagnostic feature of the genus, and its long, creeping rhizomes allow it to form dense colonies in the wetlands it inhabits.