Comptonia peregrina (L.) J.M. Coult.
Sweetfern
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Rosidae Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order Fagales Birch, she-oak, beech, walnut, bayberry, others
Family Myricaceae Bayberry (sweet gale) family
Genus Comptonia After Henry Compton, Bishop of London from 1632-1713, by Sir Josiah Banks
Species peregrina Foreign or exotic, wandering or straggling in growth
About plant names...
Sweetfern is literally in a class by itself, being the only member of genus Comptonia.
(The genus is named from Henry Compton, bishop of London from 1632-1713.)
Sweetfern is native to eastern North America. Although its foliage is fern-like, it is not actually a fern.
Ferns don't flower, and sweetfern does. The common name refers to the odor of its foliage, not
its flowers. The odor is stronger when the leaves are crushed.
Identification: Plants are up to 5′ (1.5 m) tall. Stems
are woody and strong, red-brown to gray. Leaves
are long and narrow—1-6″ (3-15 cm) × ⅛-1″ (3-30 mm). They are somewhat fernlike in appearance,
but on close inspection, the long narrow leaves are not symmetrical like those of ferns.
Flowers are inconspicuous light brown catkins at branch ends, 1¼-1¾″ (3.2-4.4 cm) long. Seeds resemble
burrs, with four to each fruit.
Online References:
Plants.ces.ncsu.edu
Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants
Wikipedia
Plantdatabase.uconn.edu
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
Www.nrs.fs.fed.us
EFloras
8/12/2009 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 2 × 1′ (62 × 41 cm)
A touch of frost. · 11/19/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm)
5/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
8/6/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)
6/22/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Comptonia peregrina (L.) J.M. Coult. var. aspleniifolia (L.) Fernald
Liquidambar aspleniifolia (L.) L.
Liquidambar peregrina L.
Myrica aspleniifolia L.
Myrica aspleniifolia L. var. tomentosa (A. Chev) Gleason
Myrica peregrina (L.) Kuntze
Comptonia peregrina description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 14 Aug 2021.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)
6/12/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts
9/14/2023 · Nature Conservancy Access Trail, Sprague Pond, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)
8/7/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
4/14/2013 · Bemis Rd, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
8/4/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts
7/3/2005 · Pepperell, Massachusetts
8/29/2015 · Mount Grace, Athol, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)
9/23/2017 · Summit of Mt. Agamenticus, York, Maine · ≈ 4 × 2½″ (10 × 7 cm)
Range:
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