Common Polypody

Common Polypody

Common Polypody Polypodium vulgare is an attractive little fern that grows on rocks and old stumps in cool shady areas with shallow acid soil. The rather leathery deep-green leaves have 10 to 20 pairs of simple leaflets and on the underside of the fertile leaves are large round brownish fruitdots which contain the spore cases. Species of Polypodium can be found world-wide and the one that is common in North America is sometimes called Resurrection Fern because it recovers so quickly after withering in drought conditions. [CH] {FG}