Christmas Day 2008: 11 years ago

 Now this is a festive specimen!

This specimen of Polystichum acrostichoides, commonly known as Christmas fern, was collected on December 25, 2008 in the woods in Savage, Maryland by Wayne Longbottom.  I assume the collector was also singing carols while putting this specimen in the plant press.  Christmas fern is a common fern in our woods and fairly easy to recognize. Its name comes from the fact that it is an evergreen perennial, with green fronds even in the winter, including Christmas.  
 
 
Find this specimen and more here:
http://midatlanticherbaria.org/portal/collections/list.php?db=all&catnum=CM537982&othercatnum=1