Christella dentata

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:	THELYPTERIDACEAE
Species:	Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
Common Name:	Downy Maiden Fern; Downy Shield Fern
Habitat:	**
Associated Ecological Communities:	**
Growth Habit:	Herb
Duration:	Perennial
Category:	Vascular
USDA Symbol:	THDE4
Plant Notes:	**
Taxonomic Notes:	**
Status:	Not Native, FACW (NWI)
References:	**
Specimen:	View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Family	THELYPTERIDACEAE - Marsh Fern family
Genus	Christella
Species	Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy - Downy Maiden Fern; Downy Shield Fern

Citation

Citation	Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy, Brit. Fern Gaz. 10(6): 338. 1973.
Basionym:	Polypodium dentatum Forssk. 1775.
Type:	YEMEN: Without data, Forsskål s.n. (holotype: C).

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Aspidium molle	Aspidium molle Swartz, J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 34. 1801.	Polypodium molle Jacquin 1789, non Schreber 1771, nec Allioni 1785.
Aspidium natalense	Aspidium natalense Fée, Mém. Foug. 8: 102. 1857.		SOUTH AFRICA:
Aspidium nymphale	Aspidium nymphale (G. Forster) Schkuhr, 24. Kl. Linn. Pfl.-Syst. 1: 36. 1804.	Polypodium nymphale G. Forster 1786.
Aspidium violascens	Aspidium violascens Link, Hort. Berol. 2: 115. 1833.		Cultivated at the Bot. Gard. Berlin, said to originate (probably incorrectly) from Brazil (holotype: B; isotype: HBG).
Christella dentata	Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy, Brit. Fern Gaz. 10: 338. 1973.	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål 1775.
Christella dentata var. caespitosa	Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy, var. caespitosa Holttum, Kew Bull. 41: 518. 1986.		AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Wooroonooran National Park, 19 km S of Russell River bridge on Innisfail-Cairns road, s.d., Chinnock & Brownsey 5802 (holotype: AD).
Cyclosorus dentatus	Cyclosorus dentatus (Forsskål) Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. 8: 206. 1938.	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål 1775.
Cyclosorus dentatus var. violascens	Cyclosorus dentatus (Forsskål) Ching, var. violascens (Link) Abbiatti, Darwiniana 13: 545. 1964.	Aspidium violascens Link 1833.
Cyclosorus hispidulus	Cyclosorus hispidulus A. Peter, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 40(1): 58, t. 4(1-2). 1929.		ZIMBABWE
Cyclosorus nymphalis	Cyclosorus nymphalis (G. Forster) Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. 10: 247. 1941.	Polypodium nymphale G. Forster 1786.
Cyclosorus dentatus	Cyclosorus dentatus (Forsskål) Ching, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. 8: 206. 1938.	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål 1775.
Dryopteris dentata	Dryopteris dentata (Forsskål) C. Christensen, Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., Naturvidensk. Math. Afd., ser. 8. 6: 24. 1920.	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål 1775.
Dryopteris mollis	Dryopteris mollis (Swartz) Hieronymus, Hedwigia 46: 348. 1907.	Aspidium molle Swartz 1801; Polypodium molle Jacquin 1789, non Schreber 1771, nec Allioni 1785.
Dryopteris reducta	Dryopteris reducta (Small ex R. P. St. John) M. Broun, Index N. Amer. Ferns 77. 1938.	Thelypteris reducta Small ex R. P. St. John 1938.
Nephrodium dentatum	Nephrodium dentatum (Forsskål) Kuemmerle, Magyar Bot. Lapok 32: 60. 1933.	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål 1775.
Nephrodium molle	Nephrodium molle (Swartz) R. Brown, Prodr. 149. 1810.	Aspidium molle Swartz 1801; Polypodium molle Jacquin 1789, non Schreber 1771, nec Allioni 1785.
Nephrodium nymphale	Nephrodium nymphale (G. Forster) Desvaux, Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 258. 1827.	Polypodium nymphale G. Forster 1786.
Nephrodium violascens	Nephrodium violascens (Link) Fée, Mém. Foug. 5: 305. 1852.	Aspidium violascens Link 1833.
Polypodium dentatum	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål, Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. 185. 1775.		YEMEN: Without data, Forsskål s.n. (holotype: C).
Polypodium molle	Polypodium molle Jacquin, Collect. 3: 188. 1791 ("1789"), non Schreber 1771, nec Allioni 1785.		Cultivated at Bot. Gard. Schoenbrunn, said (probably incorrectly) to come from Caracas, Venezuela (holotype: W).
Polypodium nymphale	Polypodium nymphale G. Forster, Fl. Ins. Austr. 81. 1786.		NEW ZEALAND: Without data, Forster s.n. (holotype: BM?).
Polystichum molle	Polystichum molle (Swartz) Gaudichaud-Beaupré, Voy. Uranie 326. 1828.	Aspidium molle Swartz 1801; Polypodium molle Jacquin 1789, non Schreber 1771, nec Allioni 1785.
Polystichum nymphale	Polystichum nymphale (G. Forster) Gaudichaud-Beaupré, Voy. Uranie 330. 1828.	Polypodium nymphale G. Forster 1786.
Thelypteris dentata var. violascens	Thelypteris dentata (Forsskål) E. P. St. John, var. violascens (Link) C. F. Reed, Phytologia 17: 272. 1968.	Aspidium violascens Link 1833.
Thelypteris reducta	Thelypteris reducta Small ex R. P. St. John, in Small, Ferns S.E. States 254. 1938.		FLORIDA: Hardee Co.: Between Bowling Green and Fort Green, 7-11 Dec 1934, St. John et al. s.n. (lectotype: NY). Lectotypified by A. R. Smith, Amer. Fern J. 61: 24. 1971.
Thelypteris dentata	Thelypteris dentata (Forssk.) E.P. St. John, Amer. Fern. J. 26(2): 44. 1936.	Polypodium dentatum Forsskål 1775.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Calhoun, Cleburne, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Geneva, Houston, Lee, Marion, Mobile, Monroe, Pike

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: -

Barcode / Accession No.	County	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
UWAL0010694	Pike	17 Oct 2011	Diamond, Alvin R. 22638	UWAL Thelypteris dentata (Forsskal) E.P. St. John
TROY000000142	Monroe	24 Oct 2006	Diamond, Alvin R. 17109	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
AUA000042429	Conecuh	24 Aug 2016	BARGER, T.WAYNE SP2402	AUA CHRISTELLA DENTATA (FORSSK.) BROWNSEY & JERMY
AUA000046834	Cleburne	14 Nov 2021	YAWN, NOAH D. 261	AUA CHRISTELLA DENTATA (FORSSK.) BROWNSEY & JERMY
UWAL0034211	Calhoun	11 Jun 2015	Spaulding, Daniel D. 14280	UWAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
AUA000033407	Calhoun	11 Jun 2015	SPAULDING, DANIEL D. 14280	AUA CYCLOSORUS DENTATUS (FORSSK.) CHING
UWAL0039963	Geneva	25 Aug 2016	Byrd, Cameron 33A	UWAL Christella dentata (Forsskal) Brownsey & Jermy
AMAL00024086	Calhoun	11 Jun 2015	Spaulding, Daniel D. 14,280	AMAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
AUA_ACC_71944	Marion	1 Nov 1992	SHORT, JOHN W. 1313	AUA CYCLOSORUS DENTATUS (FORSSK.) CHING
TROY000044107	Geneva	25 Aug 2016	Byrd, Cameron 33A	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
AUA000037834	Covington	24 Oct 2011	HANSEN, CURTIS J. 5316	AUA CYCLOSORUS DENTATUS (FORSSK.) CHING
TROY000013275	Monroe	20 Sep 2007	Diamond, Alvin R. 18225	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
TROY000021774	Baldwin	20 Jul 2007	Todia, Gena s.n.	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
ALNHS00008157	Cleburne	14 Nov 2021	Barger, T. Wayne NDY#261	ALNHS Christella dentata (Forsskal) Brownsey & Jermy
AMAL00015364	Baldwin	20 Jul 2007	Todia, Gena s.n.	AMAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
ALNHS00004730	Mobile	16 Nov 2016	Barger, T. Wayne SP#2873	ALNHS Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
UWAL0044949	Covington	24 Oct 2011	Hansen, Curtis J. 5316	UWAL Cyclosorus dentatus (Forssk.) Ching
UWAL0001420	Baldwin	20 Jul 2007	Todia, Gena s.n.	UWAL Thelypteris dentata (Forrsk.) E. St. John
AMAL00019666	Mobile	14 Jul 2009	Barger, T. Wayne 163	AMAL Thelypteris dentata (Forssk.) E. St. John
TROY000043769	Geneva	10 Dec 2015	Diamond, Alvin R. 27114	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
TROY000049826	Geneva	09 Sep 2016	Byrd, Cameron 91	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
UWAL0032967	Geneva	10 Dec 2015	Diamond, Alvin R. 27114	UWAL Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
UWAL0044026	Baldwin	13 Nov 2009	Larsen, Harry S. 1717	UWAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
UWAL0035303	Mobile	04 Jun 2016	Horne, Howard E. 3286	UWAL Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
USAM000000278	Mobile	27 Sep 1968	LeLong, Michel G. 4755	USAM Thelypteris dentata (Frosskal) E.P. St. John
AMAL00005499	Conecuh	05 Jan 2002	Diamond, Alvin R. 12847	AMAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
ALNHS00004079	Conecuh	24 Aug 2016	Barger, T. Wayne SP#2402	ALNHS Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
AUA000046831	Lee	21 Aug 2021	YAWN, NOAH D. 270	AUA CHRISTELLA DENTATA (FORSSK.) BROWNSEY & JERMY
UNA00052128	Baldwin	18 May 1961	Edwards, Jackie s.n.	UNA Thelypteris dentata (Forsk.) E. St. John
USAM000000277	Mobile	27 Sep 1968	LeLong, Michel G. 4755	USAM Thelypteris dentata (Frosskal) E.P. St. John
AMAL00015434	Geneva	08 Nov 2007	Diamond, Alvin R. 18599	AMAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
ALNHS00008775	Conecuh	24 Aug 2016	Barger, T. Wayne SP#2402	ALNHS Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
TROY000013285	Geneva	08 Nov 2007	Diamond, Alvin R. 18599	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
TROY000000511	Conecuh	05 Jan 2002	Diamond, Alvin R. 12847	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
TROY000034224	Pike	17 Oct 2011	Diamond, Alvin R. 22638	TROY Thelypteris dentata (Forsskål) E.P. St. John
TROY000054187	Houston	14 Oct 2023	Singletary, Hailie R. 42	TROY Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
TROY000037600	Crenshaw	02 Jun 2013	Diamond, Alvin R. 24189	TROY Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy
UWAL0001202	Monroe	20 Sep 2007	Diamond, Alvin R. 18225	UWAL Thelypteris dentata (Forrsk.) E. St. John
AMAL00011693	Mobile	14 Jul 2009	Barger, T. Wayne SP134	AMAL Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy
AMAL00019945	Mobile	28 Oct 2012	Horne, Howard E. 1937	AMAL Christella dentata (Forsskål) Brownsey & Jermy

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Brian R. Keener, Ph.D.

Data last modified: 9/19/2025

Web Development: The Florida Center for Community Design + Research

A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org sites

Citation Information:

Keener, B.R., A.R. Diamond, T.W. Barger, L.J. Davenport, P.G. Davison, S.L. Ginzbarg, C.J. Hansen, D.D. Spaulding, J.K. Triplett, and M. Woods. 2025. Alabama Plant Atlas. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.

Data, text, and images licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Christella dentata

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Classification

Citation

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution