Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 5275137

Wallich's Wood Fern

Dryopteris wallichiana

Also known as Alpine Wood Fern, Wallich's Fern

Wallich's wood fern forms a dramatic shuttlecock crown of arching fronds that unfurl from a central, densely scaly rootstock. Bright yellowish-green foliage contrasts sharply with the dark brown or black scales clothing the midribs, creating a striking appearance on cool mountain slopes. It thrives in high-altitude moist forests and shaded ravines across several widely separated mountain ranges around the world.

MontaneShade-TolerantPerennial
Wallich's Wood Fern reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Forest & Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic
Predators
  • Herbivorous insects
  • Slugs
  • Deer
ThreatsDeforestation, high-altitude habitat disruption, climate change
HabitatsMontane forests, cloud forests, alpine ravines, rocky slopes
Life spanPerennial (decades)
Classification
  1. FamilyDryopteridaceae
  2. SpeciesDryopteris wallichiana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Examine the main stem for a dense coating of dark brown or black scales.
  • Habitat Spotting: Look in cool, humid mountain slopes and shaded ravines at higher elevations.
  • Photography: Capture the crown from above to highlight the contrast between black scales and green fronds.
Related species
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