270 Species in Genus Athyrium

Athyrium: My Fern Fascination

Ferns have always captivated me. Their delicate fronds, their intricate patterns, and their ability to thrive in the cool, damp shade speak to a resilience and beauty I find endlessly fascinating. Among the many fern genera, Athyrium holds a special place in my heart. Maybe it’s their graceful, almost ethereal appearance, or perhaps it’s the sheer diversity within the genus that draws me in. Whatever the reason, I find myself continually seeking out new species to admire and learn about.

Athyrium, commonly known as the lady fern, encompasses a vast array of terrestrial ferns, with estimates suggesting nearly 270 species scattered across the globe. They flourish in temperate and tropical regions, often gracing woodland floors and shaded ravines with their presence. The name Athyrium itself is derived from the Greek a- (without) and the Latinized Greek thyreos (shield), referring to the inconspicuous indusium, a thin membrane that covers the spore clusters, or sori, on the underside of the fronds.  

Diversity in Delicacy

One of the things I find most remarkable about Athyrium is the incredible variation within the genus. While they share certain characteristics, like their delicate, often finely divided fronds and their preference for shade, each species possesses a unique charm.

1. Athyrium aberrans Liang Zhang & Li Bing Zhang
2. Athyrium acrocarpum (Rosenst.) Copel.
3. Athyrium acutipinnulum Kodama ex Nakai
4. Athyrium adpressum Ching & W.M.Chu
5. Athyrium × akiense Sa.Kurata
6. Athyrium × amagi-pedis Sa.Kurata
7. Athyrium americanum (Butters) Maxon
8. Athyrium ammifolium (Mett.) C.Chr.
9. Athyrium amoenum C.Chr.
10. Athyrium × anceps Sa.Kurata
11. Athyrium angustum (Willd.) C.Presl
12. Athyrium anisopterum Christ
13. Athyrium annae Kornaś
14. Athyrium appendiculiferum Alderw.
15. Athyrium approximatum (W.M.Chu) Christenh.
16. Athyrium araiostegioides Ching
17. Athyrium archboldii Copel.
18. Athyrium arcuatum Liebm.
19. Athyrium arisanense (Hayata) Tagawa
20. Athyrium asplenioides (Michx.) Desv.
21. Athyrium atkinsonii Bedd.
22. Athyrium atratum Bedd.
23. Athyrium atroviride (Alderw.) Seriz.
24. Athyrium attenuatum (C.B.Clarke) Tagawa
25. Athyrium austro-orientale Ching
26. Athyrium × austrojaponense Sa.Kurata
27. Athyrium × awatae Seriz.
28. Athyrium badium (Ching) Christenh.
29. Athyrium banajaoense (C.Chr.) Christenh.
30. Athyrium baoxingense Ching
31. Athyrium × bicolor Seriz.
32. Athyrium bipinnatum K.Hori
33. Athyrium biserrulatum Christ
34. Athyrium bomicola Ching
35. Athyrium × boreo-occidentali-indobharaticola-birianum Fraser-Jenk.
36. Athyrium bourgaei E.Fourn.
37. Athyrium brevistipes Ching
38. Athyrium × calophyllum Sa.Kurata ex Seriz.
39. Athyrium caudatum Ching
40. Athyrium caudiforme Ching
41. Athyrium chingianum Z.R.Wang & X.C.Zhang ex X.C.Zhang
42. Athyrium christensenianum (Koidz.) Seriz.
43. Athyrium christensenii Tardieu
44. Athyrium chungtienense Ching
45. Athyrium clarkei Bedd.
46. Athyrium clemensiae Copel.
47. Athyrium clivicola Tagawa
48. Athyrium contingens Ching & S.K.Wu
49. Athyrium × cornopteroides Sa.Kurata
50. Athyrium costulalisorum Ching
51. Athyrium crassicaule J.P.Roux
52. Athyrium crassipes Ching
53. Athyrium crenulatoserrulatum Makino
54. Athyrium criticum Ching
55. Athyrium cryptogrammoides Hayata
56. Athyrium cumingianum (C.Presl) Milde
57. Athyrium cuspidatum (Bedd.) M.Kato
58. Athyrium cyclosorum (Rupr.) Maxon
59. Athyrium davidii (Franch.) Christ
60. Athyrium daxianglingense Ching & H.S.Kung
61. Athyrium decorum Ching
62. Athyrium decurrenti-alatum (Hook.) Copel.
63. Athyrium × decurrentiserratum K.Hori
64. Athyrium delavayi Christ
65. Athyrium deltoidofrons Makino
66. Athyrium dentilobum Ching & S.K.Wu
67. Athyrium devolii Ching
68. Athyrium dissitifolium (Baker) C.Chr.
69. Athyrium distans (D.Don) T.Moore
70. Athyrium distentifolium Tausch ex Opiz
71. Athyrium × dixitii Fraser-Jenk.
72. Athyrium dombeyi Desv.
73. Athyrium × drepanopteroides Fraser-Jenk.
74. Athyrium drepanopteron (Kunze) Milde
75. Athyrium dubium Ching
76. Athyrium dulongicola W.M.Chu
77. Athyrium eburneum (J.Sm. ex Mett.) J.Sm.
78. Athyrium elmeri Copel.
79. Athyrium elongatum Ching
80. Athyrium emeicola Ching
81. Athyrium epirachis (Christ) Ching
82. Athyrium eremicola Oka & Sa.Kurata
83. Athyrium erythropodum Hayata
84. Athyrium falcatum Bedd.
85. Athyrium fallaciosum Milde
86. Athyrium fangii Ching
87. Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth
88. Athyrium filix-incantatrix Christenh.
89. Athyrium fimbriatum T.Moore
90. Athyrium flabellulatum (C.B.Clarke) Tardieu
91. Athyrium × flavosorum Seriz.
92. Athyrium foliolosum T.Moore ex R.Sim
93. Athyrium × fuscopaleaceum Sa.Kurata
94. Athyrium × glabrescens Seriz.
95. Athyrium grantii Copel.
96. Athyrium guangnanense Ching
97. Athyrium × gurungae Fraser-Jenk.
98. Athyrium gymnogrammoides (Klotzsch ex Mett.) Bedd.
99. Athyrium hahajimense Nakai
100. Athyrium hainanense Ching
101. Athyrium haleakalae K.R.Wood & W.L.Wagner
102. Athyrium himalaicum Ching ex Mehra & Bir
103. Athyrium hirtirachis Ching & Y.P.Hsu
104. Athyrium × hisatsuanum Sa.Kurata
105. Athyrium hohenackerianum (Kunze) T.Moore
106. Athyrium × ikutae Sa.Kurata
107. Athyrium × inabaense Seriz.
108. Athyrium infrapuberulum Ching
109. Athyrium × inouei Sa.Kurata
110. Athyrium interjectum Ching
111. Athyrium intermixtum Ching & P.S.Chui
112. Athyrium iseanum Rosenst.
113. Athyrium jinshajiangense Ching & Shing
114. Athyrium kandelii Fraser-Jenk.
115. Athyrium × kathmanduense Fraser-Jenk.
116. Athyrium × kawabatae Sa.Kurata
117. Athyrium × kawabataeoides Sa.Kurata
118. Athyrium kenzo-satakei Sa.Kurata
119. Athyrium khasimontanum Fraser-Jenk.
120. Athyrium × kidoanum Sa.Kurata
121. Athyrium kirishimaense Tagawa
122. Athyrium kuratae Seriz.
123. Athyrium kutaiense C.Chr.
124. Athyrium × langtangense Fraser-Jenk.
125. Athyrium × lantangense Fraser-Jenk.
126. Athyrium latilobum Copel.
127. Athyrium latinervatum M.Kessler & A.R.Sm.
128. Athyrium leiopodum (Hayata) Tagawa
129. Athyrium lewalleanum Pic.Serm.
130. Athyrium lineare Ching
131. Athyrium × lobulosoimpolitum Fraser-Jenk.
132. Athyrium longius Ching
133. Athyrium ludingense Z.R.Wang & Li Bing Zhang
134. Athyrium mackinnoniorum (C.Hope) C.Chr.
135. Athyrium majus (Makino) Makino
136. Athyrium × manickamii Fraser-Jenk.
137. Athyrium × mantoniae Fraser-Jenk.
138. Athyrium maoshanense Ching & P.S.Chiu
139. Athyrium × masachikanum (Sa.Kurata) Seriz.
140. Athyrium masamunei Seriz.
141. Athyrium × masayukianum Sa.Kurata
142. Athyrium medium (Carmich.) T.Moore
143. Athyrium × megayakusimense Sa.Kurata
144. Athyrium × meghalaicum Fraser-Jenk.
145. Athyrium mehrae Bir
146. Athyrium melanolepis (Franch. & Sav.) Christ
147. Athyrium mengtzeense Hieron.
148. Athyrium × mentiens Sa.Kurata
149. Athyrium microphyllum (Sm.) Alston
150. Athyrium micropterum Fraser-Jenk.
151. Athyrium × minakuchii Sa.Kurata
152. Athyrium minimum Ching
153. Athyrium minutum Copel.
154. Athyrium mohillense (Fée) Tardieu
155. Athyrium monomachii (Kom.) Kom.
156. Athyrium morobense Copel.
157. Athyrium × multifidum Rosenst.
158. Athyrium multipinnum Y.T.Hsieh & Z.B.Wang
159. Athyrium myer-dreesii Copel.
160. Athyrium nakanoi Makino
161. Athyrium nanyueense Ching
162. Athyrium narthex Christenh.
163. Athyrium neglectum Seriz.
164. Athyrium × neoelegans Sa.Kurata
165. Athyrium × nepalense Fraser-Jenk.
166. Athyrium nephrodioides (Baker) Christ
167. Athyrium newtonii (Baker) Diels
168. Athyrium nigripes (Blume) T.Moore
169. Athyrium nikkoense Makino
170. Athyrium niponicum (Mett.) Hance
171. Athyrium nitidulum (Kunze) Milde
172. Athyrium oblitescens Sa.Kurata
173. Athyrium obtusilimbum Ching
174. Athyrium omeiense Ching
175. Athyrium oosorum (Baker) Christ
176. Athyrium opacum (D.Don) Copel.
177. Athyrium oppositipennum Hayata
178. Athyrium otophorum (Miq.) Koidz.
179. Athyrium pachyphyllum Ching
180. Athyrium palmense (Christ) Lellinger
181. Athyrium × paludicola Sa.Kurata ex Seriz.
182. Athyrium palustre Seriz.
183. Athyrium parasnathense (C.B.Clarke) Ching ex Mehra & Bir
184. Athyrium pectinatum (Wall. ex Mett.) C.Presl ex T.Moore
185. Athyrium × petiolulatum Sa.Kurata
186. Athyrium × pichisermollianum Fraser-Jenk.
187. Athyrium pinetorum Tagawa
188. Athyrium pitcairnense Copel.
189. Athyrium × pokharense Fraser-Jenk.
190. Athyrium praetermissum Sledge
191. Athyrium × pseudobipinnatum K.Hori
192. Athyrium pseudofluviale (Ching & W.M.Chu) Christenh.
193. Athyrium × pseudoiseanum Sa.Kurata
194. Athyrium × pseudopinetorum Seriz.
195. Athyrium × pseudospinescens Seriz.
196. Athyrium × pseudowardii Seriz.
197. Athyrium pubicostatum Ching & Z.Y.Liu
198. Athyrium pulcherrimum Copel.
199. Athyrium puncticaule (Blume) T.Moore
200. Athyrium × purpurascens (Tagawa) Sa.Kurata
201. Athyrium × purpureipes Sa.Kurata
202. Athyrium × pygmaei-silvae Sa.Kurata
203. Athyrium × quaesitum Sa.Kurata
204. Athyrium reflexipinnum Hayata
205. Athyrium × reichsteinii Schneller & Rasbach
206. Athyrium repens (Ching) Fraser-Jenk.
207. Athyrium rhachidisorum (Hand.-Mazz.) Ching
208. Athyrium rondoense Verdc.
209. Athyrium roseum Christ
210. Athyrium rubripes (Kom.) Kom.
211. Athyrium ruilicola W.M.Chu
212. Athyrium rupestre Kodama
213. Athyrium rupicola (Edgew. ex C.Hope) C.Chr.
214. Athyrium × saitoanum (Sugim.) Seriz.
215. Athyrium × sanjappae Fraser-Jenk.
216. Athyrium sarasinorum Christ
217. Athyrium satowii H.Itô
218. Athyrium × satsumense Seriz.
219. Athyrium scandicinum (Willd.) C.Presl
220. Athyrium schimperi Moug. ex Fée
221. Athyrium schizochlamys (Ching) K.Iwats.
222. Athyrium × sefuricola Sa.Kurata
223. Athyrium seramense (M.Kato) Christenh.
224. Athyrium sericellum Ching
225. Athyrium sessilipinnum X.C.Zhang & R.Wei
226. Athyrium setiferum C.Chr.
227. Athyrium setuligerum Sa.Kurata
228. Athyrium sheareri (Baker) Ching
229. Athyrium × shiibaense (Seriz.) Nakaike
230. Athyrium × shikoku-montanum Seriz.
231. Athyrium silvicola Tagawa
232. Athyrium × simlense Fraser-Jenk.
233. Athyrium sinense Rupr.
234. Athyrium skinneri (Baker) C.Chr.
235. Athyrium × sledgei Fraser-Jenk.
236. Athyrium sohayakiense Nakaike
237. Athyrium solenopteris (Kunze) T.Moore
238. Athyrium spinescens Sa.Kurata
239. Athyrium spinulosum (Maxim.) Milde
240. Athyrium strigillosum (E.J.Lowe) T.Moore ex Salomon
241. Athyrium × subchristensenianum K.Hori
242. Athyrium × subcrassipes Seriz.
243. Athyrium subrigescens (Hayata) H.Itô
244. Athyrium suprapuberulum Ching
245. Athyrium tashiroi Tagawa
246. Athyrium tejeroi Mickel
247. Athyrium tenuipaleatum Copel.
248. Athyrium × tokashikii Sa.Kurata
249. Athyrium triangulare Alderw.
250. Athyrium tripinnatum Tagawa
251. Athyrium × tsurutanum Sa.Kurata
252. Athyrium × undulatipinnulum Seriz.
253. Athyrium uniforme Ching
254. Athyrium venulosum Ching
255. Athyrium vermae Fraser-Jenk., Khullar & Pangtey
256. Athyrium vidalii (Franch. & Sav.) Nakai
257. Athyrium viridescentipes Sa.Kurata
258. Athyrium viviparum Christ
259. Athyrium wallichianum Ching
260. Athyrium wangii Ching
261. Athyrium wardii (Hook.) Makino
262. Athyrium × watanabei Seriz.
263. Athyrium xichouense Y.T.Hsieh & Z.R.Wang
264. Athyrium × yakuinsulare Sa.Kurata
265. Athyrium × yakumonticola Sa.Kurata
266. Athyrium yakusimense Tagawa
267. Athyrium yokoscense (Franch. & Sav.) Christ
268. Athyrium yuanyangense Y.T.Hsieh & W.M.Chu
269. Athyrium zayuense Z.R.Wang
270. Athyrium zhenfengense Ching

Cultivating Curiosity

My fascination with Athyrium extends beyond mere observation. I’ve begun cultivating several species in my own garden, carefully selecting locations that mimic their preferred woodland habitats. The process of nurturing these ferns, providing them with the right balance of shade, moisture, and well-drained soil, has deepened my appreciation for their resilience and adaptability.

Each spring, I eagerly anticipate the emergence of new fronds, unfurling like delicate scrolls. Observing their growth throughout the season, witnessing their subtle changes in color and texture, brings a sense of quiet joy and connection to the natural world.

A Continuing Journey

My exploration of Athyrium is an ongoing journey. I’m constantly seeking out new species to add to my collection, poring over botanical guides, and learning from fellow fern enthusiasts. The more I discover, the more I realize how much more there is to learn.

Athyrium, with its understated elegance and remarkable diversity, serves as a constant reminder of the beauty and complexity of the natural world. It’s a reminder to slow down, observe, and appreciate the intricate details that often go unnoticed. And for me, it’s a source of endless fascination and inspiration.