Woodwardia areolata (Netted Chain Fern) is a species of fern native to eastern North America. It is usually treated in the genus Woodwardia, in the eupolypods II clade^[1] of the order Polypodiales,^[2] in the class Polypodiopsida.^[3] It is sometimes transferred to the monotypic genus Lorinseria as Lorinseria areolata (L.) C.Presl, on the basis of its anastamosing veins and lobed frond form, as well as its more marked frond dimorphism; however, the genus name Lorinseria is invalid, being an orthographical variant of Lorinsera Opiz (Flora of North America).

The sterile fronds are 40-60 cm long, and the fertile fronds 50-70 cm long. It requires wet, acid conditions, often growing in seeps. It is most common along the Atlantic coastal plain, being an avid colonizer of acid mine seeps in the eastern United States, one of the few plants to benefit from acid mine drainage.

It is superficially similar to Onoclea sensibilis and sometimes confused with it.

References

• Flora of North America: Woodwardia areolata
• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Woodwardia areolata