does anybody know of any such i.d. helper for ferns ?
i would think with close up images
like this noid of mine ?


or these 2 very similar but different ?

As interested as you seem to be getting in ferns... now might be a good time to invest in the best book on ferns I've ever dealt with.
It is 'Ferns for American Gardens' by John MIckel. This former Curator of Ferns for the New York Botanical Gardens provides in-depth information on over 400 types of ferns. In the appendix he lists ferns for specific growing situations. He also rates each fern for ease of cultivation. There are lots of color plates, lots of drawings and illustrations and lots of good, clear information and advice.
When first published in 1994 the book listed for $60.00 [US].
But a second hand bookstore on-line, Thriftbooks, has a paperback copy in stock for $11.09....

My garden is in Oklahoma City... out on the Southern Great Plains. About four years ago I started planting ferns in the shade garden. Mickel's book was my only reference. Between a retailer here and two growers of beautiful ferns up in your area I'm now growing eleven varieties. All but one are thriving... in fact, they have outperformed most of the other shade perennials this season. One fern is struggling... but I'm hoping it just has the first-year not-settled-in-yet blues. If it is not giving up on growing, I'm not giving up on it.

By the way... I would think the park rangers caring for the Redwoods would know a ton of stuff about ferns indigenous to the area.

thank you John
i bought one from ABEbooks now my 3ed book on ferns
i have 5 local specie growing wild all over the property -prolly forgetting one
another 10 specie purchased here & there and again most likely forgetting one or two
several years ago i was part of fern purchase group and bought maybe a doz different specie
and not knowing anything about them assumed they would like the same conditions as the local fern
WRONG
lost all of them
trying to be more selective now days
so far so good