E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Polystichum braunii (Spenner) Fée
Braun's hollyfern
Dryopteridaceae (Wood Fern family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Steven Joya  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #918)

E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Polystichum braunii
Click here to view our interactive map and legend
Details about map content are available here
Click on the map dots to view record details.

Species Information

Click on the image below to view an expanded illustration for this species.



General:
Perennial with deciduous or overwintering leaves arising from short, stout rhizomes.
Leaves:
Broadly lanceolate, 30-120 cm long, 10-40 cm wide, 2-pinnate, pinnules on short stalks; marginal teeth with pointed tips.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Mesic to wet alluvial forests, coniferous forests, talus and lava flows in the lowland to subalpine zones; infrequent in BC; circumpolar, N to AK and S to ID, disjunct E to ON,PQ, NS and NF and S to MA, PA, MI, WI and MN; Eurasia.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Polystichum braunii

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 0 269 2050
Slope Gradient (%) 0 23 85
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
10 275 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 4 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
115
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: CWH(95), ESSF(2), ICH(7), MH(5), SBS(1)

Ecological Indicator Information

A shade-tolerant/intolerant. submontane to subalpine, circumpolar fern (transcontinental in North America but rare in the Central region). Occurs on fresh to very moist. nitrogen­rich soils within subalpine boreal,. cool temperate, and cool mesothermal climates. Occurs sparsely in semi-open stands on water-receiving sites; most common on colluvial soils enriched by temporary seepage and surface flow of fine organic materials. A nitrophytic species characteristic of Moder and Mull humus forms.

SourceIndicator Plants of Coastal British Columbia (Information applies to coastal locations only)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Polystichum braunii subsp. purshii (Fernald) Calder & Roy L. Taylor
Polystichum braunii var. purshii Fernald

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References