Onocleaceae - sensitive fern family
[information to be added]

Maine is home to 2 species in 2 genera (hybrids excluded). If you know which species you have or are interested in learning about, click on the appropriate link from the species list below. Otherwise, to determine which genus your fern belongs to, refer to the table below the species list.

   Matteuccia (1 species)
      Matteuccia struthiopteris ssp. pensylvanica - fiddlehead fern
   Onoclea (1 species)
      Onoclea sensibilis - sensitive fern

	sterile leaf blade division	sterile leaf blade shape	venation		char. 5	char. 6
Matteuccia struthiopteris	once divided	widest above the middle	free (forking and not rejoining)	in linear leaflets
Onoclea sensibilis	deeply lobed	widest near the base	reticulate	in spherical leafules

Matteuccia (fiddlehead fern)
[information to be added]

Matteuccia struthiopteris ssp. pensylvanica (fiddlehead fern) is commonly picked as a wild edible in the spring when only a few inches tall. A good rule-of-thumb is to pick at most one-third of the stems of a given plant, always taking note as to whether someone has already collect a stem.
   
   (click on image to enlarge)

Onoclea (sensitive fern)
[information to be added]

Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) - [information to be added]
   
   (click on image to enlarge)

Note:
   1. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow Flora Novae Angliae by Arthur Haines (2011, Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0-300-17154-9).