Osmundastrum
| Osmundastrum Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Developing spore-bearing frond and several sterile fronds in late spring | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Osmundales |
| Family: | Osmundaceae |
| Genus: | Osmundastrum (C.Presl) C.Presl |
| Type species | |
| Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (von Linné 1753) Presl 1848 | |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Osmundastrum is genus of leptosporangiate ferns in the family Osmundaceae with one living species, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, the cinnamon fern. It is native to the Americas and eastern Asia, growing in swamps, bogs and moist woodlands.
In North America it occurs from southern Labrador west to Ontario, and south through the eastern United States to eastern Mexico and the West Indies; in South America it occurs west to Peru and south to Paraguay. In Asia it occurs from southeastern Siberia south through Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan to India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Osmundastrum cinnamomeum has a fossil record extending into the Late Cretaceous of North America, approximately 70 million years ago, making it one of the oldest living plant species. The fossil records of the genus extend into the Triassic.