Dryopteris filix-mas
Common name
male fern
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Ferns
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
DRYFIL
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Streamsides, open scrub, damp forest.
Detailed description
Stout rhizomatous fern. Laminae bipinnate up to 125 x 30 cm, dark green above, paler green below. Primary pinnae in 25–50 pairs, secondary pinnae in 15–30 pairs. Sori round, 1–5 pairs on each secondary pinnae.
Similar taxa
Dryopteris is closely related to Polystichium and Lastreopsis, but distinguished from Polystichum by the kidney-shaped indusia, and from Lastreopsis by its abundance of stipe-scales and absence of hairs. D. filix-mas is closely related to D. affinis but can be distinguished by the second pinnae being round-ended and margins toothed throughout.
Year naturalised
1958
Origin
Europe, Asia, N. America
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Reproduction
Sexually from spores.