Narrow and Broad Beech Fern
Narrow Beech Fern and Broad Beech Fern are very similar.
Broad beech fern, Phegopteris hexagonoptera, is found in many places in the Eastern United States
iNaturalist map of P. hexagonoptera
Narrow Beech fern has a similar range in Eastern US, but is also found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
iNaturalist map of P. connectilis
The difference is between the bottom two pair of pinna. P. hexagonoptera has webbing along the stipe between the two pinna pair. P. connectilis does not have the webbing. P. hexagonoptera does have hairs on the stip. P. connectilis has hairs on the stipe.
The trait where the bottom pair of pinna is pointing inwards and down is not a clear cut character. Both species have specimens with this trait.
The pinna of P. connectilis are rounder than P. hexagonoptera.
https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/phegopteris/connectilis/
https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/phegopteris/hexagonoptera/
Mt. Toby, Sunderland, MA, USA
Mt. Toby, Sunderland, MA, USA
Mt. Toby, Sunderland, MA, USA
Mt. Toby, Sunderland, MA, USA