| Sceptridium biternatum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Ophioglossales |
| Family: | Ophioglossaceae |
| Genus: | Sceptridium |
| Species: | S. biternatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Sceptridium biternatum (Sav.) Underwood | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Sceptridium biternatum, the southern grapefern or sparse-lobe grape fern , is a perennial fern in the family Ophioglossaceae, occurring in eastern North America. It occurs in "low woods, in hardwood and pine forests, in fields, and on roadsides." [2] Like other grape ferns, it depends on a mycorrhizal association in the soil to survive.
In the fall its leaves and stem turn a reddish-brown / bronze color; a local name for it is “red fern”. [3]
