Pteridaceae

Spider brake

Pteris multifida Poir.

Family: Pteridaceae
Genus: Pteris

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Spider brake: Pteris multifida — Photo: keisotyo, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (3)

Chinese: 井栏凤尾蕨, 鳳尾蕨, 井栏边草, 井栏边草（凤尾草）, 井栏边蕨, 凤尾草, 凤尾蕨
English: Spider brake, Chinese brake, Huguenot fern, Ribbon fern, Saw-leaf bracken, Saw-leaved bracken, Spider brake fern, Spider fern
Japanese: イノモトソウ

Synonyms

Pteris multifida f. serrulata R.H.Miao
Pteris serrulata (R.H.Miao) Y.H.Yan
Pteris serrulata L.f.
Pteris serrulata unranked angusta B.S.Williams ex J.Dix
Pteris serrulata var. variegata Regel
Pycnodoria multifida (Poir.) Small
Pycnodoria multifida (Poir.) Small

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

Photo: keisotyo, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Bonnie Semmling, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: David Ludwig, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Tom Ferguson, CC0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Keisotyo, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: 古淑玲, CC0, from iNaturalist
Photo: harum.koh from Kobe city, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Caleb Catto, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Eli Dickerson, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Pteris

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.