Athyrium filix-femina Lady-fern

Lady-fern is one of the most common ferns in the British countryside. It is a fairly large and robust perennial with soft, bright green, twice-divided (bipinnate) fronds that bear crescent shaped spore-producing structures (sori) underneath. The stalks are covered with scales and often red in colour. Lady-fern can be confused with the male-ferns, but it has a softer and more 'lacey' appearance and the sori are a different shape. It is a plant of woodland and hedgerows but is also found in damp or marshy grasslands. It is often found in gardens where it can become a troublesome weed. It is common and widespread in West Glamorgan.

Native