Except for "looks like a fern" I'd guess mulberry weed, Fatoua villosa.

Have a look at these sites:

www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/weeds/mweed1.html

and the left-most plant at

http://www.efloras.org/object_page.a...844&flora_id=1

Nasty thing!

Donna