English: Kunth's maiden fern; Southern shield fern.
Name: from Greek thēlys female and pteris fern.
Synonyms: Thelypteris patens; Thelypteris kunthii; Pelazoneuron kunthii; Cyclosorus kunthii; Dryopteris normalis; Dryopteris saxatilis; Filix-mas augescens; Lastrea kunthii; Nephrodium kunthii; Thelypteris macrorhizoma.
Region: southeastern United States to eastern Texas.
Habitat: in moist to dry terrestrial situations, can be epipetric; in damp, shaded areas, forests, wetlands, along stream banks; prefers moist, well-shaded habitats.

BotanyFern; deciduous.
Leaves: pinnate; up to 1.2 meters long; leaflets are oblong to lance-shaped , with toothed edges, distinctly serrated along the margins.
Sori: on the underside of the margins of the leaflets; round; covered by indusia.
Stem: rhizomes, underground, horizontal.
Reproduction: via spores, rhizomes.