**Description:** A hardy, evergreen fern with leathery, dark green fronds that stay vibrant all year, even under snow.
**Size:** Fronds typically grow 1 to 2 feet long.
**Identification:** Each individual leaflet (pinna) has a small lobe at the base, making it look like a tiny Christmas stocking.
**Wildlife Value:** Provides critical winter cover for ground-dwelling forest animals.
**Habitat:** Found in clumps on shaded, forested slopes; vital for preventing soil erosion.