Dryopteris filix-mas
Dryopteris filix-mas is one of the commonest ferns of the temperate
Northern Hemisphere, occurring throughout much of
Europe,
Asia and
North America. It favours damp shaded areas and is particularly ubiquitous in the understory of woodlands, but also found in shady places on hedge-banks, rocks and screes. It is much less abundant in North America than in Europe.
The half-evergreen leaves have an upright habit and reach a maximum length of 1.5 m, with a single crown on each rootstock. The bipinnate leaves consist of 20-35 pinnae on each side of the rachis. The leaves taper at both ends, with the basal pinnae about half the length of the middle pinnae.
Encyclopedia
Dryopteris filix-mas is one of the commonest ferns of the temperate
Northern Hemisphere, occurring throughout much of
Europe,
Asia and
North America. It favours damp shaded areas and is particularly ubiquitous in the understory of woodlands, but also found in shady places on hedge-banks, rocks and screes. It is much less abundant in North America than in Europe.
The half-evergreen leaves have an upright habit and reach a maximum length of 1.5 m, with a single crown on each rootstock. The bipinnate leaves consist of 20-35 pinnae on each side of the rachis. The leaves taper at both ends, with the basal pinnae about half the length of the middle pinnae. The pinules are rather blunt and equally lobed all around. The stalks are covered with orange-brown scales. On the abaxial surface of the mature blade develop in two rows 5 to 6
sori. When the
spores ripen in August to November, the
indusium start to shrivel, leading to the release of the spores.
This species
hybridises easily with
Dryopteris affinis is fern [i] native to western and southern Europe [i] and southwestern Asia [i]. ...
and
Dryopteris oreades .
Cultivation and uses
The root was used, until recent times, as an anthelmintic to expel
tapeworms. It is also grown as an ornamental fern in gardens.
References and external links
