This web site is provided for those interested in learning to identify the ferns and fern allies or "pteridophytes"of Wisconsin. The goal here is to provide a key to all the native plants within this group in Wisconsin, with photos and descriptions to help with their identification and a little more information concerning habitats occupied and their distribution in the state. The Wisconsin fern allies have historically included horsetails, club mosses, spikemosses, and quillworts (in the larger world view the "whisk ferns" or Psilophyta would also be included).

Some readers will know that the group long known as the "pteridophytes" is not an acceptable term for this group by modern standards, since it does not meet the cladistic criteria of including an ancestor and all of its descendants. It does indeed fail this test famously, but it is convenient to treat these species as a group for purposes of identification. To avoid the name issue we might describe them as the group of vascular plants reproducing by spores rather than seeds. Textbooks, journals and the web provide abundant reference to more comprehensive discussion of the larger view of plant relationships.

For the beginning student of the pteridophytes it may be best to begin at the introduction to the basic anatomy of pteridophytes and the terminology commonly used in referring to them. The reader may then go to the key to pteridophytes to identify an unknown plant, or go directly to a list of Wisconsin's pteridophytes with links to pages for the individual species. Each species has a page containing photos of important features and some basic information regarding habitat and distribution. A separate glossary of pteridophyte terms is also provided. This is a work in progress and editing and expansion of the sections will continue indefinitely. Feedback on omissions, typos, and the usefulness of the site are appreciated.

Introduction to Ferns and Fern Allies

Key to Ferns and Fern Allies of Wisconsin

Glossary of Fern Terminology

Acknowledgements

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