Ferns

Ribbon Fern Family - Pteridaceae

Jersey Fern Anogramma leptophylla

Native throughout much of the world in tropical and warm temperate regions. In shady mountains, cliffs and near water.


Habit	Habit	Leaves	Leaf

Pinnae	Pinnae	Mature sori	Seedling

Resurrection Fern Hemionitis acrostica

Native throughout the Mediterranean Region to North-east Africa and South-west Asia. On rocky outcrops, often in quite sunny positions.


Habit	Leaf	Leaf	Leaf

Pinna	Leaf rachis	Mature sori	Mature sori

Hemionitis persica

Native from Italy eastwards through the Mediterranean Region to Central Asia and the Himalayas. Underside of leaves appearing grey and woolly from the covering of long hairs.


Habit	Leaf	Pinna	Mature sori

Common Maidenhair Fern Adiantum capillus-veneris

Native throughout much of the world in tropical and warm temperate regions. In shady mountains, cliffs and near water.


Habit	Habit	Leaves	Pinnae

Pinnae	Pinnae	Young sori	Mature sori

Bladder Ferns - Cystopteridaceae

Brittle Bladder Fern Cystopteris fragilis

Native throughout the World, on all continents except Antarctica.


Habit	Habit	Habit	Leaf

Leaf	Mature sori

Bracken Family - Dennstaedtiaceae

Bracken Pteridium aquilinum

Native throughout much of Eurasia. Forms colonies on acid and neutral soils, usually in cooler uplands in the south of its range.


Habit	Spring shoots	Leaf	Pinnules

Lady Ferns - Athyriaceae

Common Lady Fern Athyrium filix-femina

Native throughout northern Eurasia and the Mediterranean Region. A graceful species with delicately and finely cut leaves. Leaves in outline are broadest about the middle, with a pointed, long-tapered tip. Pinnules have deeply lobed and toothed margins. The spores are covered by an indusium which is either linear, or more often curved or J-shaped in outline.


Habit	Leaf	Young leaf	Pinnae

Pinnae	Pinnules	Spores covered by indusium	Ripe spores

Shield Ferns - Dryopteridaceae

Soft Shield Fern Polystichum setiferum

Native thoughout western and Central Europe, south to the Mediterranean Region and eastwards through the Balkans to the caucasus and Iran. Overall, the leaf is rather soft to the touch and has a narrow outline with pinnae becoming only a little shorter towards the base before ending abruptly. Pinnules are sharply pointed with long teeth. The basal margins of the lowest pair of pinnules form an acute angle.


Habit	Leaves	Leaf base	Pinnules

Royal Ferns - Osmundaceae

European Royal Fern Osmunda regalis

Native throughout Europe and much of the Mediterranean Region, eastwards to Iran. Spore-bearing fronds present during summer. Ultimately a large and imposing fern, with leaves to three metres in length on the oldest plants. The smooth-edged pinnules without pointed tips, as well as the torch-like, upright spikes of fertile 'leaves' make this an easily identified species.


Habit	Habit	Pinnules	Fertile leaf

Spleenworts - Aspleniaceae

Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes

Native throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere and southward into South Africa. On walls and rockfaces in shady places.


Habit	Leaves	Pinnae	Ripe sori with spores

Common Black Spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum

Native throughout most of Europe, eastward to the Himalayas and Chine and southward into South Africa. On walls and rockfaces in shady places.


Habit	Habit	Leaf	Leaf

Western Black Spleenwort Asplenium onopteris

(Irish Spleenwort) Native from Macaronesia and western Europe, eastwards through the Mediterranean Basin to Iran. Leaves triangular in outline, often with long-attenuated tips.


Habit	Leaf	Pinnae	Spores

Rustyback Fern Asplenium ceterach

Native throughout Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, eastward to Central Asia. On walls and rockfaces in shady places.


Habit	Habit	Young plant	Leaf

Leaf tip	Papery scales on leaf underside

Polypodys - Polypodiaceae

Southern Polypody Polypodium cambricum

Native from western Europe and the Mediterranean Basin to Turkey and the Caucasus.


Habit	Habit	Habit	Young plants

Leaf	Leaf	Pinna	Spores

Adder's-tongues - Ophioglossaceae

Common Adder's-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum

Native throughout Europe and northern Asia and south to eastern and southern Africa. Depending on taxonomy, also in parts of the New World. The above-ground, visible part of this plant consists of an oval-shaped, sterile leaf, from the base of which appears the elongate spike that is the fertile leaf that bears the spores. Some shoots consist only of simple, sterile leaves and these are easily passed over and not readily recognised as being an adder's-tongue. Plants may grow to around 25cm in height when among taller vegetation, but are often much less, typically 5-10cm in height.


Habit	Fronds	Fronds	Fertile frond

Least Adder's-tongue Ophioglossum lusitanicum

Native from Macaronesia and western Europe, eastwards through the Mediterranean Basin to Turkey and the Caucasus. A minuscule plant, with the fertile spike just 5-15mm tall.