TRACKING PTERIDOPHYTES

New York City is home to diverse plants that continue to paint the landscape green well after much of it has died back or turned dormant. Many of these winter greens are pteridophytes, which are vascular plants that produce spores instead of seeds. This group includes ferns, horsetails, and lycophytes (clubmoss, spikemoss, and quillworts), and can be deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen.

Observed on iNaturalist today with at least one research grade observation are 2 species of horsetail, 22 species of ferns, and 7 species of lychophytes. There are many more species listed in the below Guide to the Ferns and Fern Allies of New York City that have yet to be observed. See how many you can find!