Dryopteris erythrosora, commonly called Autumn Fern or Japanese Shield Fern, is an exotic fern native to Japan, Korea, and China. In the summer of 2017 while collecting plants for BIOL 3329K (Identification of Vascular Flora), the author noticed a dense population of Dryopteris erythrosora in a disturbed suburban woodlot, located in Alpharetta, Georgia. A highly soriferous frond was collected from the population and later brought into the lab to be examined. The frond was identified as Dryopteris erythrosora by its five vascular bundles, deep red indusia covered sori, and its abundant dark scales. An ecological survey at the site found by the author displays an alarmingly high count of fertile fronds and new recruitment of young fronds. The data collected suggests that Dryopteris erythrosora is capable of self-replicating and maturing into well-established colonies; the species has also been reported as naturalizing in Arkansas and North Carolina, traveling by long-distance spore dispersal. The purpose of this research is to document the potential invasiveness of this plant in North America.
Keywords: horticulture, botany, fern, dryopteris, invasive, ecology, population, survey, naturalize, hybridize