SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
Introductory
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Matthews, Robin F. 1993. Blechnum spicant. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/fern/blespi/all.html [].
ABBREVIATION :
BLESPI
SYNONYMS :
Lomaria spicant (L.) Desv.
Struthiopteris spicant (L.) Weiss
Osmunda spicant L. [7,22,31]
SCS PLANT CODE :
BLSP
COMMON NAMES :
deer fern
hard fern
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name of deer fern is Blechnum spicant
(L.) Roth [7,21,22,31]. A typical subspecies and B. spicant ssp.
nipponicum (Kunze) Love and Love are recognized [7,22].
LIFE FORM :
Fern or Fern Ally
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
See OTHER STATUS
OTHER STATUS :
The Heritage Program has classified deer fern as secure globally but
imperiled in Idaho. The Forest Service and BLM list deer fern as
sensitive in Idaho [30].
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Deer fern has a sporadic circumpolar distribution. In North America it
is distributed from coastal Alaska to California (Del Norte to Santa
Cruz counties). Deer fern occurs mostly west of the Cascade Range
but is also found in northern Idaho [7,15,21,31].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES22 Western white pine
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES24 Hemlock - Sitka spruce
FRES25 Larch
FRES27 Redwood
FRES28 Western hardwoods
STATES :
AK CA ID OR WA BC
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K001 Spruce - cedar - hemlock forest
K002 Cedar - hemlock - Douglas-fir forest
K003 Silver fir - Douglas-fir forest
K004 Fir - hemlock forest
K006 Redwood forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K013 Cedar - hemlock - pine forest
K014 Grand fir - Douglas-fir forest
K015 Western spruce - fir forest
K025 Alder - ash forest
K029 California mixed evergreen forest
SAF COVER TYPES :
201 White spruce
205 Mountain hemlock
206 Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
212 Western larch
213 Grand fir
215 Western white pine
221 Red alder
222 Black cottonwood - willow
223 Sitka spruce
224 Western hemlock
225 Western hemlock - Sitka spruce
226 Coastal true fir - hemlock
227 Western redcedar - western hemlock
228 Western redcedar
229 Pacific Douglas-fir
230 Douglas-fir - western hemlock
231 Port-Orford-cedar
232 Redwood
234 Douglas-fir - tanoak - Pacific madrone
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Deer fern is an indicator of moist to wet forests from sea level to
montane zones in southwestern Washington and western Oregon [15,28]. It
is also an indicator of moist to wet, poor-nutrient to moderate-nutrient
forests in British Columbia [24]. Deer fern is scattered to abundant,
and occasionally dominant, in understories of old-growth forests on
"water-receiving" sites [25]. Publications listing deer fern as a
dominant or codominant understory component include the following:
Natural vegetation of Oregon and Washington [12]
Gradient structure of forest vegetation in the central Washington
Cascades [8]
Plant communities in the old-growth forests of north coastal Oregon [20]
Forest associations of Little Lost Man Creek, Humboldt County,
California: reference-level in the hierarchical structure of
old-growth coastal redwood vegetation [27]
Some species commonly associated with deer fern include Alaska-cedar
(Chamaecyparis nootkatensis), noble fir (Abies procera), lodgepole pine
(Pinus contorta), Alaska blueberry (Vaccinium alaskensis), red
huckleberry (V. parviflorum), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus),
salmonberry (R. spectabilis), devil's club (Oplopanax horridus),
menziesia (Menziesia ferruginea), salal (Gaultheria shallon), Oregon
oxalis (Oxalis oregana), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), false
lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum dilatatum), twisted stalk (Streptopus
spp.), threeleaf foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata), woodnymph (Moneses
uniflora), pioneer violet (Viola glabrella), western swordfern
(Polystichum munitum), ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina), bracken fern
(Pteridium aquilinum), oakfern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), woodfern
(Dryopteris spp.), stiff clubmoss (Lycopodium annotinum), and many
species of mosses [1,6,17,20].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Deer fern provides valuable forage for Columbian and Sitka back-tailed
deer, white-tailed deer, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain
elk, Roosevelt elk, moose, and caribou [2,5,16,23].
PALATABILITY :
NO-ENTRY
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
Deer fern is easily propagated and is planted as an ornamental [15,21].
Deer fern roots were used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans [37].
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Deer fern fronds are dimorphic. Sterile leaves are evergreen and are
spreading or appressed to the ground. They are usually 4 to 16 inches
(10-40 cm) long. Fertile leaves are fewer in number, deciduous, and
much longer than the sterile leaves. Sporangia are confluent and
parallel to the midrib. Deer fern has woody rhizomes [7,22,31].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Chamaephyte
Geophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Deer fern reproduces from spores and by sprouting from rhizomes.
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Deer fern is found in moist to wet forests and generally on heavily
shaded sites [21]. It is an indicator of hypermaritime to maritime
subalpine boreal and summer-wet cool mesothermal climates. It is found
on fresh to very moist nitrogen-poor soils and grows best on
well-decomposed organic material and nutrient-rich soils produced from
decaying wood. Deer fern is very sensitive to frost [25].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Deer fern is shade tolerant [25]. It is found in old-growth and climax
western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)-Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)
stands in southeast Alaska. Disturbance in these cool, wet forests is
generally from windthrow or logging. After disturbance, deer fern forms
dense clumps if tree regeneration is sparse, but declines in cover as
the shrub layer develops (20-25 years after logging). After 50 to 60
years, ferns, including deer fern, begin to increase in abundance and
cover and eventually dominate the understory [1]. Deer fern is found in
old-growth and climax western hemlock, Sitka spruce, western redcedar
(Thuja plicata), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Pacific silver
fir (Abies amabilis) forests throughout its range [11,12,13,18,19,33,36].
Along the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, deer fern
may be present in young seral stands in floodplain succession. However,
its cover increases in climax stages and it is typical of the rich
climax forests of the region [6]. Deer fern was present on shaded sites
within 6 years following logging in white spruce (Picea glauca) stands
in British Columbia [9]. It was also present 5 years after clearcuts in
Douglas-fir stands in Washington [29].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Fire is infrequent in the cool, wet forests in which deer fern is found.
Fire intervals are estimated to be several hundred years. When
large-scale fires do occur, they are usually catastrophic [3]. Deer
fern may colonize sites after small patch fires by spores or the spread
of rhizomes from adjacent unburned areas.
FIRE REGIMES:
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page
under "Find Fire Regimes".
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Deer fern is probably top-killed by fire. Rhizomes may survive light
surface fires.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Information on the response of deer fern to fire is sparse. It was not
destroyed by a March fire in a Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand in
Great Britain, and survived by sprouting from rhizomes. It had a
postfire frequency of 95 percent in the year of the fire and in the
first two postfire years [35].
Frequent, light surface fires encourage redwood (Sequoia
sempervirens)/deer fern forest associations in northern California [27].
Deer fern probably survives these low-severity fires by sprouting from
surviving rhizomes.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Blechnum spicant
REFERENCES :
1. Alaback, Paul B. 1982. Dynamics of understory biomass in Sitka
spruce-western hemlock forests of southeast Alaska. Ecology. 63(6):
1932-1948. [7305]
2. Balfour, Patty M. 1989. Effects of forest herbicides on some important
wildlife forage species. Victoria, BC: British Columbia Ministry of
Forests, Research Branch. 58 p. [12148]
3. Barbour, Michael G.; Billings, William Dwight, eds. 1988. North American
terrestrial vegetation. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
434 p. [13876]
4. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
5. Blower, Dan. 1982. Key winter forage plants for B.C. ungulates.
Victoria, BC: British Columbia Ministry of the Environment, Terrestrial
StudiesBranch. [17065]
6. Clement, C. J. E. 1985. Floodplain succession on the west coast of
Vancouver Island. Canadian Field-Naturalist. 99(1): 34-39. [8928]
7. Cody, William J.; Britton, Donald M. 1989. Ferns and fern allies of
Canada. Ottawa, ON: Agriculture Canada, Research Branch. 430 p. [13078]
8. del Moral, Roger; Watson, Alan F. 1978. Gradient structure of forest
vegetation in the central Washington Cascades. Vegetatio. 38(1): 29-48.
[8800]
9. Eis, S. 1981. Effect of vegetative competition on regeneration of white
spruce. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 11: 1-8. [10104]
10. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
11. Fonda, R. W.; Bliss, L. C. 1969. Forest vegetation of the montane and
subalpine zones, Olympic Mountains, Washington. Ecological Monographs.
39(3): 271-301. [12909]
12. Franklin, Jerry F.; Dyrness, C. T. 1973. Natural vegetation of Oregon
and Washington. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-8. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range
Experiment Station. 417 p. [961]
13. Franklin, Jerry F.; Moir, William H.; Hemstrom, Miles A.; [and others].
1988. The forest communities of Mount Rainier National Park. Scientific
Monograph Series No 19. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior,
National Park Service. 194 p. [12393]
14. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
15. Halverson, Nancy M., compiler. 1986. Major indicator shrubs and herbs on
National Forests of western Oregon and southwestern Washington.
R6-TM-229. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Region. 180 p. [3233]
16. Hanley, Thomas A.; Robbins, Charles T.; Spalinger, Donald E. 1989.
Forest habitats and the nutritional ecology of Sitka black-tailed deer:
a research synthesis with implications for forest management. Gen. Tech.
Rep. PNW-GTR-230. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 52 p. [7509]
17. Harris, A. S. 1990. Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. Sitka spruce. In:
Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H., technical coordinators. Silvics
of North America. Volume 1. Conifers. Agric. Handb. 654. Washington, DC:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: 260-267. [13389]
18. Hemstrom, Miles A.; Emmingham, W. H.; Halverson, Nancy M.; [and others].
1982. Plant association and management guide for the Pacific silver fir
zone, Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests. R6-Ecol 100-1982a.
Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific
Northwest Region. 104 p. [5784]
19. Hemstrom, Miles A.; Logan, Sheila E. 1986. Plant association and
management guide: Siuslaw National Forest. R6-Ecol 220-1986a. Portland,
OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Region. 121 p. [10321]
20. Hines, William Wester. 1971. Plant communities in the old-growth forests
of north coastal Oregon. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University. 146 p.
Thesis. [10399]
21. Hitchcock, C. Leo; Cronquist, Arthur. 1973. Flora of the Pacific
Northwest. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. 730 p. [1168]
22. Hulten, Eric. 1968. Flora of Alaska and neighboring territories.
Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. 1008 p. [13403]
23. Jenkins, Kurt J.; Starkey, Edward E. 1991. Food habits of Roosevelt elk.
Rangelands. 13(6): 261-265. [17351]
24. Klinka, K.; Green, R. N.; Courtin, P. J.; Nuszdorfer, F. C. 1984. Site
diagnosis, tree species selection, and slashburning guidelines for the
Vancouver Forest Region, British Columbia. Land Management Report No.
25. Victoria, BC: Ministry of Forests, Information Services Branch. 180
p. [15448]
25. Klinka, K.; Krajina, V. J.; Ceska, A.; Scagel, A. M. 1989. Indicator
plants of coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: University of British
Columbia Press. 288 p. [10703]
26. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
27. Lenihan, James M. 1990. Forest ass. of Little Lost Man Creek, Humboldt
Co., CA: reference-level in the hierarchical structure of old-growth
coastal redwood vegetation. Madrono. 37(2): 69-87. [10673]
28. Lesher, Robin D.; Henderson, Jan A. 1989. Indicator species of the
Olympic National Forest. R6-ECOL-TP003-88. Portland, OR: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 79 p. [15376]
29. Long, James N. 1977. Trends in plant species diversity associated with
development in a series of Pseudotsuga menziesii/Gaultheria shallon
stands. Northwest Science. 51(2): 119-130. [10152]
30. Moseley, Robert; Groves, Craig, compilers. 1990. Rare, threatened and
endangered plants and animals of Idaho. Boise, ID: Idaho Department of
Fish and Game, Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, Natural Heritage
Section. 33 p. [19329]
31. Munz, Philip A. 1973. A California flora and supplement. Berkeley, CA:
University of California Press. 1905 p. [6155]
32. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
33. Sonnenfeld, Nancy L. 1987. A guide to the vegetative communities at the
Valley of the Giants, Outstanding Natural Area, northwestern Oregon,
USA. Arboricultural Journal. 11: 209-225. [7453]
34. Stickney, Peter F. 1989. Seral origin of species originating in northern
Rocky Mountain forests. Unpublished draft on file at: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p. [20090]
35. Sykes, J. M.; Horrill, A. D. 1981. Recovery of vegetation in a
Caledonian pinewood after fire. Transactions of the Botanical Society of
Edinburgh. 43(4): 317-325. [19768]
36. Topik, Christopher; Halverson, Nancy M.; Brockway, Dale G. 1986. Plant
association and management guide for the western hemlock zone: Gifford
Pichot National Forest. R6-ECOL-230A. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 132 p. [2351]
37. Turner, Nancy Chapman; Bell, Marcus A. M. 1973. The ethnobotany of the
southern Kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia. Economic Botany. 27:
257-310. [21015]
38. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982.
National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names.
SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]
FEIS Home Page