**Description:** A large, stately fern that grows in wet areas. Its leaflets resemble the leaves of a locust tree rather than a typical feathery fern.
**Size:** Can reach heights of 3 to 6 feet.
**Identification:** Named "Royal" because its fertile leaflets form a golden, flower-like crown at the very top of the plant in early summer.
**Behavior:** One of the most ancient ferns, with fossil records dating back over 200 million years.
**Habitat:** Swampy woods, bogs, and mucky river banks.