North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Cystopteris bulbifera

Cystopteris bulbifera (L.) Bernh.

bulblet bladder fern, bulblet bladderfern, bulblet fern

Synonym(s): Filix bulbifera

Cystopteris bulbifera (Bulblet Bladder Fern)

Image ID: 92947
Image by: Fleming, Gary P.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: CYBU3
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cystopteris bulbifera
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2020-01-01

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: CYSTO
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Cystopteris
GENUS AUTHORITY: Bernh.
GENUS COMMON: Bladderfern
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 20-30 species, sub-cosmopolitan in distribution, primarily of temperate regions but also in montane to alpine settings in tropical regions.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: See Woodsia for suggestions on distinguishing between Cystopteris and Woodsia, somewhat similar ferns often confused. Hybrids frequently occur where two or more species of Cystopteris grow in proximity. The following hybrids may be anticipated in our area: Cystopteris bulbifera × tennesseensis, Cystopteris bulbifera × tenuis [= C. ×illinoensis R.C. Moran], Cystopteris fragilis × tenuis, Cystopteris protrusa × tennesseensis, Cystopteris protrusa × tenuis, Cystopteris tennesseensis × tenuis [= C. ×wagneri R.C. Moran].
GENUS REFERENCES: Rothfels et al. (2104); Haufler, Moran, & Windham in FNA (1993b); Wang & Haufler in FoC (2013); Haufler, Windham, & Ranker (1990); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: DRYOPT
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Dryopteridaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: Ching 1965
FAMILY COMMON: Wood-fern Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 40-45 genera and 1700 species, cosmopolitan in distribution, but concentrated in temperate and montane areas. Here circumscribed (following Smith et al. 2006) to exclude Onocleaceae and Woodsiaceae.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Smith in FNA (1993b); Smith et al. (2006); Lellinger (1985); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT:

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb, Fern

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION: Evergreen

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: May-Aug

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
				x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR:

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
											x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: eastern North America

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text:

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
1002	1985-0698			View
7023	1998-0306			View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
1881	1002	145	NCBG staff	1985-07-08	View
9901	7023	79	NCBG staff	1996-10-10	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: CYBU3
USDA Common Name: Bulblet Bladderfern
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, AZ, CT, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (NB, NF, NS, ON, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC		FAC		FAC	FACW		FACW	FACW	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

2018 Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina

NHP ID	S RANK	ROUNDED S RANK	G RANK	ROUNDED G RANK	STATE STATUS	FEDERAL STATUS
16452	S1S2	S1	G5	G5	W7

This information is derived from the 2018 North Carolina Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species.

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cystopteris bulbifera
COMMON NAME: Bulblet Fern, Bulblet Bladder Fern
SYNONYMY: [= Ar, C, F, FNA, G, Il, K, Pa, RAB, S, Tn, Va, W, WV]
PHENOLOGY: May-Aug.
HABITAT: Moist outcrops and talus of calcareous rocks, rarely up to 1500 m elevation.
COMMENTS: NL (Newfoundland) west to MN, south to NC, nw. SC (Oconee County), nw. GA, AL, and AR; also disjunct in UT, AZ, NM, and TX. This species is a diploid involved in the reticulate evolution of Cystopteris in e. North America; it is one parent of C. tennesseensis. Its genome can be symbolized BB.
RANGE MAP: Cystopteris bulbifera.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Dryopteridaceae Ching 1965 (Wood-fern Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 40-45 genera and 1700 species, cosmopolitan in distribution, but concentrated in temperate and montane areas. Here circumscribed (following Smith et al. 2006) to exclude Onocleaceae and Woodsiaceae.
REFERENCE: Smith in FNA (1993b); Smith et al. (2006); Lellinger (1985); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Cystopteris Bernh. (Bladderfern)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 20-30 species, sub-cosmopolitan in distribution, primarily of temperate regions but also in montane to alpine settings in tropical regions.
REFERENCE: Rothfels et al. (2104); Haufler, Moran, & Windham in FNA (1993b); Wang & Haufler in FoC (2013); Haufler, Windham, & Ranker (1990); Kramer et al. in Kramer & Green (1990).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Cystopteris bulbifera in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Cystopteris bulbifera in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Cystopteris bulbifera in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Cystopteris bulbifera in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Cystopteris bulbifera in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cystopteris bulbifera

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 92947 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 0 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 0 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)