Distribution
Canada, United States of America

Native to: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Masachusettes, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Newfoundland, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward I., Québec, Rhode I., South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Leaves monomorphic, green through winter, 32-90 × 10-20 cm. Petiole 1/3 length of leaf, scaly at least at base; scales scattered, tan. Blade green, ovate, 3-pinnate-pinnatifid, herbaceous, glandular. Pinnae ± in plane of blade, lanceolate-oblong; basal pinnae lanceolate, not reduced, basal pinnules longer than adjacent pinnules, basal basiscopic pinnule longer than basal acroscopic pinnule; pinnule margins serrate, teeth spiny. Sori midway between midvein and margin of segments. Indusia with minute glandular hairs. 2 n = 82.
Moist rocky woods, especially hemlock hardwoods, ravines, and edges of swamps; 0-2000 m.