Western Oakfern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnocarpium_dryopteris
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Polypodiopsida
Order
Polypodiales
Family
Cystopteridaceae
Genus
Gymnocarpium
Western Oakfern belongs to the family Cystopteridaceae, order Polypodiales, within the Polypodiopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Western Oakfern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and forest fragmentation in its specialized woodland environments. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, while invasive plant species compete for resources in its native forest understory habitats.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Cool, moist coniferous and mixed deciduous forests, typically growing in acidic soils on forest floors, rocky slopes, and shaded woodland understories. Often found in association with mosses and other shade-tolerant plants in northern temperate forest ecosystems.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Western Oakfern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and forest fragmentation in its specialized woodland environments. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, while invasive plant species compete for resources in its native forest understory habitats.
Climate change altering moisture and temperature regimes
Forest fragmentation reducing population connectivity
Habitat loss from logging and deforestation
Invasive species competition in understory habitats
Soil disturbance from human activities
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Western Oakfern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/western-oakfern