COMMON MALE FERN

MALE FERN

Dryopteris filix-mas

Male & Buckler Ferns [Dryopteridaceae]

Spores:

26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

A very variable fern, but for most reliable identification the sori on the underside should be inspected, for they are the most highly characteristic feature of this fern. This specimen has been broken off.

26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The fern is bi-pinnate and one of the most common ferns.

26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

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26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

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26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The rib may, or may not have a darkish groove up the centre, and the pinnae may or may not have patterned grooves on the upper surface. The Male Fern is quite variable in these respects.

26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Here the pinnae have slight forward-pointing teeth, but not all Male Ferns have such conspicuous teeth.

26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The definitive feature of Male Fern (there are several other Male Fern species) are the sori on the underside. On no other Male Fern are they so closely packed in (two) rows, some so close as to be slightly over-lapping each other. There are typically 3 to 4 sori in each row, and are near the mid-rib. The sori here have yet to mature, when they become brown.

26th June 2011, Adlington, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The sori are 'C-'shaped (as they are for many other, but not all, ferns) but another defining feature is the thin flange of semi-transparent tissue around the periphery.

Hybridises with :

Western Scaley Male Fern (Dryopteris affinis) to produce Dryopteris × complexa.
Mountain Male Fern (Dryopteris oreades) to produce Dryopteris × montaniae.

The above photographs correspond to neither of these hybrids.

Many similarities to : Mountain Male Fern (Dryopteris oreades) which appears like a smaller version, but with slightly fewer sori (4-6) and with Western Scaley Male Fern (Dryopteris affinis) which seems to have slightly more sori (6-9).

The latin name 'filix-mas' refers to it being a male plant ('filix-femina' being the opposite).

One of the most common Ferns of the UK. The leaves sometimes over-winter (in mild winters). New leaf growth happens in April. Leaves are mid-green and taper at both ends. Spores are ripe August to November.

Grows in woods, hedge-banks, screes and rocks and is widespread being absent from a few places in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, and several locations in Scotland. Less frequent in Ireland.

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Distribution
family8Male & Buckler Ferns family8Dryopteridaceae

BSBI maps

Dryopteris
(Buckler-Ferns)