Comptonia peregrina

Classification	Dicots
Family	Myricaceae
Family (Traditional)	Myricaceae
Genus	Comptonia
Species:	Comptonia peregrina (L.) J. M. Coult.
Common Name	Sweet Fern
Growth Habit	shrub
Plant Notes	**
Characteristics	Armaments: No; Milky Sap: No; Photosynthetic: Yes; Stipules: Yes; Woody Herbaceous: Woody; Duration: Perennial; General Ecology: Terrestrial; Growth Habit: shrub; Moisture Requirements: Xeric; Moisture Requirements: Sub-xeric; Moisture Requirements: Dry-mesic; Moisture Requirements: Mesic; Region of Origin: North America; Reproductive Phenology: April; Reproductive Phenology: May; Leaf Arrangement: alternate; Leaf Complexity: simple; Leaf Dissection: 0; Leaf Dissection: 0.5; Leaf Fragrance: Yes; Leaf Persistance: Deciduous; Leaf Petiole Type: petiolate; Leaf Type: broadleaf; Leaf Venation: pinnate; Leaflet Margins: entire; Leaflet Margins: lobed; Leaflet Number: 0; Base Flower Color: Green; Fruit Dehiscence: No; Fruit Type: Achene; Fruit Wet/Dry: Dry; Overall Flower Symmetry: Actinomorphic; Sporangium Arrangement: N/A; Stamen Number: 3; Stamen Number: 4; Stamen Number: 5; Stamen Number: 6
C value	5
Status	Native; TN[S1] KY[S1] (State Rank); G5 (Global Rank)
Specimen(s)	View and Download Specimen Details »

** Not applicable or data not available.

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Species Distribution Map

This species has been reported in the counties highlighted in the interactive distribution map below. Click on a county to display the its name. Click the question mark icon () to view additional information about the ecoregions shown. In the map legend, there are links to toggle the visibility of the ecoregions and/or their labels. In addition, clicking on an ecoregion name will highlight that region on the map.

State Boundaries
Counties
Counties - Species Present

Ecoregions

Southeastern Plains
- Blackland Prarie
Blue Ridge Mountains
Ridge and Valley
Cumberland Plateau
Cumberland Mountains
Allegheny Plateau

Interior Plateau
- Bluegrass Region
- Nashville Basin
- Pennyroyal Karst Plain
- Western Highland Rim
- Eastern Highland Rim

Interior River Valleys and Hills
- Shawnee / Caseyville Hills
Mississippi Alluvial Plain
Mississippi Valley Loess Plains
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Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation
Comptonia asplenifolia	Comptonia asplenifolia (L.) L'Hér. ex Aiton
Comptonia peregrina var. asplenifolia	Comptonia peregrina var. asplenifolia
Myrica asplenifolia	Myrica asplenifolia L.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort.

Counties included on distribution map: Laurel (KY), McCreary (KY), Madison (KY), Woodford (KY), Scott (TN)

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: APSC, BEREA, EKY, KNK, TENN

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1984 - 1987

Accession No. (click for full details)	County	State	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
31234100535333	Laurel	Kentucky		Rob Jacobs	EKY Comptonia peregrina
31234100535366	McCreary	Kentucky		B. Eugene Wofford	EKY Comptonia peregrina
BEREA016923	Madison	Kentucky			BEREA Comptonia peregrina
BEREA016922	Madison	Kentucky			BEREA Comptonia peregrina
BEREA016924	McCreary	Kentucky			BEREA Comptonia peregrina
31973000016372	McCreary	Kentucky			KNK Comptonia peregrina
TENN-V-0077096	Scott	Tennessee			TENN Comptonia peregrina
TENN-V-0077097	Scott	Tennessee			TENN Comptonia peregrina
TENN-V-0077094	Scott	Tennessee			TENN Comptonia peregrina
TENN-V-0077095	Scott	Tennessee			TENN Comptonia peregrina
TENN-V-0077118	McCreary	Kentucky			TENN Comptonia peregrina
TENN-V-0077119	McCreary	Kentucky			TENN Comptonia peregrina
APSC0076476	McCreary	Kentucky	25 Jun 1984	Max Medley	APSC Comptonia peregrina
APSC0071490	Laurel	Kentucky	02 Oct 1987	Max Medley	APSC Comptonia peregrina
APSC0110521	Woodford	Kentucky			APSC Comptonia peregrina
31234100535416	Scott	Tennessee		Thomas S. Patrick	EKY Comptonia peregrina
31234100535325	Laurel	Kentucky		max E. Medley	EKY Comptonia peregrina
31234100535341	Madison	Kentucky		Ronald L. Jones	EKY Comptonia peregrina
31234100535358	Madison	Kentucky		Ronald L. Jones	EKY Comptonia peregrina
31234100733656	McCreary	Kentucky		M. Medley	EKY Comptonia peregrina
31234100535408	Scott	Tennessee		Joey Shaw	EKY Comptonia peregrina

View a List of All Ecological Communities

Comptonia peregrina

Related Links

Species Distribution Map

Ecoregions

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution

Plant Photos