Dryopteris affinis agg. Scaly Male-fern

Dryopteris affinis agg. is the name given to the complex aggregate of apogamous fern taxa which includes Scale Male-fern (Dryopteris affinis), Borrer's Scaly Male-fern (Dryopteris borreri) and Narrow Scaly Male-fern (Dryopteris cambrensis), all of which are widespread in West Glamorgan. All the members of this complex have a dark patch on the underside of the frond where the pinnae meet the stalk (rachis), a feature which is not shown by Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas). Each of these is described separately in this Flora.