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

Polystichum scopulinum (D.C. Eaton) Maxon
mountain holly fern (mountain hollyfern)
Dryopteridaceae (Wood Fern family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

General:
Evergreen perennial arising from a short, stout rhizome.

Leaves:
Lanceolate, 10-40 cm long, 3-7 cm wide, 1-pinnate, with stipe longer than 1/3 of the blade; pinnae oblong, arranged in plane of blade, deeply cut, with spreading teeth.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecological Framework for Polystichum scopulinum

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
Site Information	Avg	Min	Max
Elevation (metres)	1620	1114	1857
Slope Gradient (%)	43	8	90
Aspect (degrees) [0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]	22	0	346
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric]	3	1	6
Modal Nutrient Regime Class	C
# of field plots species was recorded in:	13
Modal BEC Zone Class	ESSF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in	ESSF(11), ICH(2)
Source: Klinkenberg 2013

Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Native	S1S2	Red	T (May 2005)

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.

Polystichum lemmonii and Polystichum kruckebergii are related taxa which are morphologically and ecologically similar to Polystichum scopulinum. P. scopulinum can be distinguished from P. lemmonii by its spiny-toothed pinna margins and its once pinnate fronds (vs. smooth margins and bipinnate fronds in P. lemmonii) (Douglas et al. 2000). P. kruckebergii has once pinnate fronds like P. scopulinum, but the pinnae are abruptly pointed (especially at the base of the frond) and bear coarse, spreading teeth. P. scopulinum has pinna tips that are obtuse and bear fine incurved teeth.

Source: British Columbia Conservation Data Centre

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