I've heard that your A. scolopendriums are diploid and grow like weeds. Ours are supposedly tetraploid and only occur in a few scattered populations.

{{gwi:599583}}

What what and what??

Excuse me, I thought those pictures were of hart's tongue fern

Yea Im sure you are, I just didnt undesrtand all the haploid/diploid business ;)
I do know what you mean I just wasnt expecting it...

I wouldn't normally get into the ploidy business but the variety of this species we have in the states is quite rare. One of the few known populations occurs not far from here so it well known by local fern enthusiasts. An interesting fern no doubt.

I study the American hart's-tongue fern and know how rare the plant is...takes a long time to find some of the populations...I'm jealous!I'd love to see them in Europe some day. A third variety grows in Mexico, believe it or not!

Wow ferns in Mexico! Must be real tough!

Someone gave me spores of the American Hart's tongue, and I have successfully grown them out. Later I was growing spores of an unidentified fern from western VA, just over the line from NC. When they finally were large enough for me to be certain, I have ID'd them as the American Hart's tongue. They are listed for TN and AL down here in the south but not VA. I wish I could go back to the place where we found these ferns, but alas, no one can remember the exact trail. Love the photo in this initial posting.