Fern Identification

[KeenTeen17]

Is this common polypody?

[Deer Stalker]

Not a Polypody KT

Looks more like one of the Bucklers.

[leifus]

it definately isnt common polypody - probably male fern, Dryopteris filix-mas

[Deer Stalker]

Pinnae are too finely divided for one of the Male Ferns Leifus.

Did you get a shot of the Sori on the underside of the frond KT?

[KeenTeen17]

what do you mean sori? sorry not familiar with fern anatomy yet.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

what do you mean sori? sorry not familiar with fern anatomy yet.

The sorus (plural sori) is the structure with the sporangia (containing the spores) on the underside of the fertile frond of a fern. The shape of these are useful in fern ID.

[RobSutton]

This is Common Polypody - the pinnae are the divisions of the leaf. In Common Polypody the leaves are once Pinnate in other words there is only one level of branching. Sometimes the pinnae are subdivided (bi-pinnate) or divided again (tri-pinnate). Yours is bi-pinnate which means it can't be Common Polypody.



These are the sori on the underside of the pinnae. In Common Polypody they are usually golden in colour (green when young and then later brown) and circular. In other species they may be kidney shaped or linear and sometimes they have a cover on top - the indusium (plural indusia).


There is a cheapish book (approx £5-00 I think) produced by the Field Studies Council called The Fern Guide by James Merrywaether & Michael Hill that is an excellent introduction to identifying ferns.

[KeenTeen17]

thanks. will have a gander around for it.