FernSpotting

Full plant view of Cut-leaf grape fern (Sceptridium dissectum or Bortychium dissectum). The smaller, bronzing, triangular sterile fronds stand close to the ground and far below the spent fertile frond.

Fertile frond view of the Cut-leaf grape fern. The spores of this plant already released and this fertile frond is in recession.

Frond view of the sterile fronds of a Cut-leaf grape fern. They are in the process of turning bronze, from a dark green as the cool weather arrives.

Cut-leaf grape fern starting to show its cold-weather bronze coloring. Spotted in a breath-taking serpentine barrens landscape

#fernspotted #piedmont #serpentine

Full-fern view and difficult to see. A very small Asplenium growing on the face of a vertical rock face.

#fernspotted

Partial frond view of a tall Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) showing late-season color. At 6'1" or 1.85m, my camera was eye-level in this shot. This frond easily stood 6'5"+ (1.96m+).

Absolutely huge.

This Cinnamon fern easily stood 6'5"+ (1.96m+) tall.

In this case, on even ground, my (6'1" or 1.85m) camera was eye level.

#fernspotted #piedmont

Timelapse video of this would be outstanding!

@fernleaf07.bsky.social

....also, I can see how/why you make this case. Others are clearly winged. Both Narrow and Broad may be present.

I should share more pictures. I thought about this one a bit. Narrow (connectilis) is notably absent from my state expect in far west mountain region. It would be a discovery of sorts if it turns out to be connectilis.

A small cluster of Orange mycena (Mycena leaiana) showing from an exposed area of a hollow, fallen long. The mushrooms are light orange.

Orange mycena. Crowded house

#fungifriends

Frond view of Broad beech fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera) showing its light green summer coloration and maintaining its structure despite the onset of autumn. All if its pinnae are winged at the rachis connection points (distinguishing it from Long beech fern). The frond is triangle shaped, with the exceptions of the bottom pinnae that angle backwards.

Broad beech fern still in its summer color. Amazing structure

#fernspotted #piedmont #structure

A purple mushroom (Spotted cort, also known as Cortinarius iodes) showing through leaf litter. This is the forest floor of a rocky oak upload forest. Acorns were falling steadily, though few other sounds could be found. There was noticeably few bird or mammals in sight.

Spotted cort

#fungifriends

Did you observe differences in the presence of common ferns across elevation and landscape? What sorts did you see?

Full plant view of Silvery glade fern (Deparia acrostichoides), also known as Silvery false spleenwort and silvery spleenwort. Demonstrating deep green/green-blue coloration, fronds approximately 3 feet (0.9 meter) in length, and thin but long-reaching pinnae. This fern was spotted stream-side among many species, at the floor of an isolated, rocky valley.

Full-bodied and deeply colored Silvery glade fern

#fernspotted #piedmont

Close view of a lion's mane bloom. Deep, rich, white texture. At first glance, looks like an endless composition of soft, white petals.

Lion's mane up close
#texture #fungifriends

Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) in rocky uplands of an oak forest. Blooming and round with white texture and an appearance that looks soft.

Lion's mane #fungifriends

#iseemoss

A close view of a bed of mood moss spotted in a dry, rocky upland oak forest. It is uniformly pale green (perhaps a touch of blue-green) and looks soft and dense with bits of light filtering through the canopy above.

Some mood moss for some moss mood. I look forward to sharing images from a challenging expedition yesterday; starting with this.

#iseemoss

southern lady fern (Athyrium asplenioides) Athyrium asplenioides, or southern lady fern, is a species of the family Woodsiaceae. It is a deciduous fern and reaches a height between 1 and 3 feet (Source: Wikipedia, '', http://en.wikipedia.org/w...

Possible point for comparison:
www.inaturalist.org/taxa/204244-...

Green fern with long vertical stipe. The pinnae are offset and spaced far apart.

What is this fern? The pinnae are distinctly offset and spaced far apart. Possible Southern Lady Fern (Athyrium asplenioides)? Located in waterlogged, stream-adjacent area in central Maryland.

#fernspotted #whatisit #plantid

Frond view of a Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) used by the Fern Leaftier caterpillar (Herpetogramma spp.) to make a fern ball structure. The frond is pulled together in the shape of a ball using the silk of the caterpillar.

The work of the Fern Leaftier caterpillars (Herpetogramma spp.) are becoming easier to see as the densest foliage recedes with the season. This is another example of a fern ball structure made from a Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides).

#fernspotted #caterpillar

If this is something other than seasonal color change, I am interested to learn more

Frond-view of New York fern (Amauropelta noveboracensis) demonstrating a dramatic transition to autumn coloration. Pale green gives way to way to a bright white/yellow.

New York fern (Amauropelta noveboracensis) sticks close to the river in this area. Its abundance often causes me to overlook it. In this case, the dramatic transition to late-season color makes it hard to miss.

#fernspotted #piedmont #autumncolor

Also, the map you shared has these growing much farther north than I would have imagined. Sightings in Michigan's Upper Peninsula really surprises me.

As bramble growth falls back a bit with cooler weather, I am looking forward to exploring further in the area where I spotted these. I'd love to see a large cluster like what you have pictured.

Full view of Walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) just inches from the ground, at the base of a vertical rock outcropping, in a shaded nook. The fern is surrounded by moss and seems wet because of the abundant moisture in the area. Everything pictured is green, showing no signs of seasonal change.

Walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) just inches from the ground, at the base of a vertical rock outcropping, in a shaded nook. Thick (and sharp) vegetation and geological features limit sunlight and access. Despite how wet it looks, it did not rain!

#fernspotted #piedmont #iseemoss

A patch of Eastern hayscented fern (Sitobolium punctilobulum) showing late season color. Some touches of green are still visible, but are giving way to pink.

Eastern hayscented fern (Sitobolium punctilobulum) sticks to places where the sun breaks through in this river valley. This patch shows its transition to late-season color.

#fernspotted #piedmont #autumncolor

Frond view of Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) showing late summer coloration that highlights its intricate texture. Pale green gives way to bold and brilliant browns and yellow.

Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) shows a change in color in late summer that highlights texture that is more-difficult to see when fronds are evenly green. The brilliant color and texture of this particular frond may not have been done justice in this photo.

#fernspotted #piedmont #autumncolor

Full view of a rock face with a crevasse in which a cluster of Polypodium virginianum grows densely between the rocks in the shade.

3/3

Full view of the river-side rock face and crevasse in which the "nest" of Polypodium virginianum grows.

Cluster-view of Rock polypody (Polypodium virginianum) growing in a verticle crevasse.

2/3
Stepping back to see this population of Polypodium virginianum packing a verticle crevasse in a rock face.

Close view of a cluster of Rock polypody (Polypodium virginianum) showing large fronds and deep green color.

1/3
Rock polypody (Polypodium virginianum) are striking when punctuating beds of moss, but seeing them en masse is also impressive.

#fernspotted #piedmont

Full-plant view of Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) with fronds pointing upward from the forest floor.

Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) marking the streamside base of a steep incline in a rocky river valley.

#fernspotted