[Sword and Hollyferns: The Genus Polystichum in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern

Polystichum munitum

Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum

Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum) - Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum)

The photo at left shows a cluster of the fronds of western sword fern arising from a creek bed in mixed fores along forest road #150 at the trailhead for the Snipes Mt. Trail #11 on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams.........October 14, 2005. The fronds seen here are about one meter in height. The leaflets of this species do not strongly overlap as they do in imbricate sword fern. The image at right shows a young western sword fern along the Dry Creek Trail #149, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.....September 30, 2024.

Leaflet of Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum)

The photo above shows one leaflet of western sword fern as seen at the location above.

Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum) -- Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum)

Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum) -- Common Sword Fern, Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum (Synonyms: Aspidium munitum, Polystichum munitum var. munitum)

The 4 photos directly above show close-up views of a young western sword fern as seen in dark coniferous woods to the west of Laurel Road in Conboy Lake NWR.........June 21, 2008. Click each photo to see an enlarged version.

Paul Slichter