Ontario Ferns website

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern
Homalosorus pycnocarpos
(formerly Diplazium pycnocarpon)

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos) Other common names: Glade Fern, Narrow-leaved Spleenwort

Other scientific names: Diplazium pycnocarpon, Asplenium angustifolium, Asplenium pycnocarpon, Athyrium pycnocarpon

French names: Diplazie à sores denses 

Family: Wood Fern Family (Dryopteridaceae)

Fronds: Once divided

Height: 1 m (2-4 ft)

Sori: Underside of separate fertile fronds. Sori arranged in a chevron-shaped pattern.

Habitat: Forests

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Not very common, but not rare.

Photographs: 171 photographs available, of which 12 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

A typical frond.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

This is a sterile frond. The sori are borne on separate fertile fronds.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

A final view of a sterile frond.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

A fertile frond.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

Another fertile frond. Notice that the leaflets are narrower than on the sterile frond.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

The sori (where the spores are located) on the underside of a fertile frond.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

Closeup of the sori.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

Final view of a fertile frond (underside).

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

The two kinds of leaflets compared. The larger one is from a sterile frond, the smaller from a fertile frond.

This photo shows the upper side.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

The under side of the two kinds of leaflets.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

A patch of Narrow-leaved Glade Fern.

Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

Another nice patch.These ferns grow to about 3-4 feet tall.


Range map for Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Homalosorus pycnocarpos)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)