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Cinnamon Fern

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

Summary 9

Osmundastrum is genus of leptosporangiate ferns in the family Osmundaceae with one accepted species, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, the cinnamon fern. It is native to the Americas and eastern Asia, growing in swamps, bogs and moist woodlands.

Characteristics 10

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum is a deciduousherbaceous plant that produces separate fertile and sterile fronds. The sterile fronds are spreading, 30–150 cm (0.98–4.92 ft) tall and 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) broad, pinnate, with pinnae 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long and 2–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in) broad, deeply lobed (so the fronds are nearly, but not quite, bipinnate). The fertile spore-bearing fronds are erect and shorter, 20–45 cm (7.9–17.7 in) tall; they become cinnamon-colored, which gives the species its name. The fertile leaves appear first; their green color slowly becomes brown as the season progresses and the spores are dropped. The spore-bearing stems persist after the sterile fronds are killed by frost, until the next season. The spores must develop within a few weeks or fail.

The Osmundastrum cinnamomeum fern forms huge clonal colonies in swampy areas. These ferns form massive rootstocks with densely matted, wiry roots. This root mass is an excellent substrate for many epiphytal plants. They are often harvested as osmunda fiber and used horticulturally, especially in propagating and growing orchids. Cinnamon Ferns do not actually produce cinnamon; they are named for the color of the fertile fronds.

Classification 10

Traditionally, this plant has been classified as Osmunda cinnamomeaL. However, recent genetic and morphological evidence (Metzgar et al. 2008; Jud et al. 2008) clearly demonstrate that the cinnamon fern is a sister species to the entire rest of the living Osmundaceae. Cladistically, it is either necessary then to include all species of the Osmundaceae, including Todea and Leptopteris in the genus Osmunda, or else it is necessary to segregate the genus Osmundastrum. O. cinnamomeum is the sole living species in the genus, although it is possible that some additional fossils should be assigned to Osmundastrum.

Formerly, some authors included the interrupted fern, Osmunda claytoniana, in the genus or section Osmundastrum, because of its gross apparent morphological similarities. However, detailed morphology and genetic analysis have proven that the interrupted fern is actually a true Osmunda. This is borne out by the fact that it is known to hybridize with the American royal fern, Osmunda spectabilis to produce Osmunda × ruggii in a family in which hybrids are rare, while Osmundastrum cinnamomeum has no known hybrids.

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum is considered a living fossil because it has been identified in the geologic record as far back as 75 million years ago. A more recent discovery extends this value up to 180 million years ago.

The Asian and American populations of cinnamon fern are generally considered to be varieties of a single species, but some botanists classify them as separate species. The Asian taxon is thus named Osmundastrum asiaticum.

Summary 11

Osmundastrum is genus of leptosporangiate ferns in the family Osmundaceae with one accepted species, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, the cinnamon fern. It is native to the Americas and eastern Asia, growing in swamps, bogs and moist woodlands.

Uses 10

According to the Native American Ethnobotany Database, cinnamon fern has been historically used by first nations tribes (Abnaki, Menominee) as a food source. The Iroquois and Cherokee tribes used the fern for a wide variety of medicinal purposes including as a cold remedy, gynecological aid, venereal aid, and as a remedy to snake bites.

Description 12

• Fiddleheads: emerges early spring, covered in light brownish-colored wool that is quickly lost
• Fronds: once compound, lance-shaped in outline, up to 40 inches long and 10 inches across, widest below middle, gradually tapering at tip, leaflets have deep lobes, rounded to slightly pointed, forked lateral veins on underside, grow in circular clump with fertile spike in the middle
• Spores: borne on spike-like fertile leaves, nearly as tall as sterile leaves, center of leaf clump, fertile leaves hairy and composed of very small bead-like capsules, initially green but turn cinnamon-colored with maturity
• Fruiting season: Spring
• Height: 24-40 inches
• Habitat: marshes, wet woods, bogs, swamps

Description 13

• Fiddleheads: emerges early spring, covered in light brownish-colored wool that is quickly lost
• Fronds: once compound, lance-shaped in outline, up to 40 inches long and 10 inches across, widest below middle, gradually tapering at tip, leaflets have deep lobes, rounded to slightly pointed, forked lateral veins on underside, grow in circular clump with fertile spike in the middle
• Spores: borne on spike-like fertile leaves, nearly as tall as sterile leaves, center of leaf clump, fertile leaves hairy and composed of very small bead-like capsules, initially green but turn cinnamon-colored with maturity
• Fruiting season: Spring
• Height: 24-40 inches
• Habitat: marshes, wet woods, bogs, swamps

Description 14

• Fiddleheads: emerges early spring, covered in light brownish-colored wool that is quickly lost
• Fronds: once compound, lance-shaped in outline, up to 40 inches long and 10 inches across, widest below middle, gradually tapering at tip, leaflets have deep lobes, rounded to slightly pointed, forked lateral veins on underside, grow in circular clump with fertile spike in the middle
• Spores: borne on spike-like fertile leaves, nearly as tall as sterile leaves, center of leaf clump, fertile leaves hairy and composed of very small bead-like capsules, initially green but turn cinnamon-colored with maturity
• Fruiting season: Spring
• Height: 24-40 inches
• Habitat: marshes, wet woods, bogs, swamps

Description 15

• Fiddleheads: emerges early spring, covered in light brownish-colored wool that is quickly lost
• Fronds: once compound, lance-shaped in outline, up to 40 inches long and 10 inches across, widest below middle, gradually tapering at tip, leaflets have deep lobes, rounded to slightly pointed, forked lateral veins on underside, grow in circular clump with fertile spike in the middle
• Spores: borne on spike-like fertile leaves, nearly as tall as sterile leaves, center of leaf clump, fertile leaves hairy and composed of very small bead-like capsules, initially green but turn cinnamon-colored with maturity
• Fruiting season: Spring
• Height: 24-40 inches
• Habitat: marshes, wet woods, bogs, swamps

Description 16

• Fiddleheads: emerges early spring, covered in light brownish-colored wool that is quickly lost
• Fronds: once compound, lance-shaped in outline, up to 40 inches long and 10 inches across, widest below middle, gradually tapering at tip, leaflets have deep lobes, rounded to slightly pointed, forked lateral veins on underside, grow in circular clump with fertile spike in the middle
• Spores: borne on spike-like fertile leaves, nearly as tall as sterile leaves, center of leaf clump, fertile leaves hairy and composed of very small bead-like capsules, initially green but turn cinnamon-colored with maturity
• Fruiting season: Spring
• Height: 24-40 inches
• Habitat: marshes, wet woods, bogs, swamps

Status in the Pine Barrens 17

Fontes e Créditos

  1. (c) Lindley Ashline, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/98083017@N00/108471017
  2. (c) Nicholas A. Tonelli, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/9991414005/
  3. (c) Brett Whaley, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/brettwhaley/29120287288/
  4. (c) Nicholas A. Tonelli, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/15352860696/
  5. (c) Nicholas A. Tonelli, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/9778819032/
  6. (c) oakum, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/35518067@N06/3349333143/
  7. (c) Tom Potterfield, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/tgpotterfield/12020587826/
  8. (c) Tom Potterfield, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/tgpotterfield/9036565253/
  9. Adaptado por Tricia LeBlanc de uma obra de (c) Wikipedia, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmundastrum
  10. (c) Wikipedia, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmundastrum
  11. (c) Wikipedia, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmundastrum_cinnamomeum
  12. (c) Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1167788
  13. (c) Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1161550
  14. (c) Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1163327
  15. (c) Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1177476
  16. (c) Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1168043
  17. (c) Zane Roskoph, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1321798

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