Fern and Cotoneaster?

KeenTeen17 · #1 (**permalink**) 15-09-2008, 07:32 PM

This shrub is growing in our garden. We have 2. Is it alder buckthorn or cotoneaster - not sure.

This fern was growing out of the base of a beech tree!!!

I have no idea what it is. And I know a possible ID is unlikely because of the bad photo. I will go back soon and get my good camera on it.

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 15-09-2008, 08:22 PM

It is definitely a Cotoneaster. There are getting on for 100 species now recorded growing in the wild ( we only have 1 very rare native species on Great Orme, Wales). I would hazard an educated (but possibly wrong) guess at C. franchetti.

leifus · #3 (**permalink**) 15-09-2008, 08:25 PM

i recognise that fern - i'll get back to you on that one

poschiavanus · #4 (**permalink**) 16-09-2008, 04:49 PM

For the Cotoneaster its worth seeing the underside of the leaves, and take a few of the berries and find the average number of stones. Berries look to be in groups of around 4-5, and red in colour. Unfortunately the other characters needed are the shape of the flowers, anther colour etc.

leifus · #5 (**permalink**) 16-09-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leifus

i recognise that fern - i'll get back to you on that one

i think the fern is Brittle-bladder fern, Cystopteris fragilis

it grows on limestone

KeenTeen17 · #6 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 07:18 PM

I photographed the underside of the leaf for you.

Will that help confirm any ids?

poschiavanus · #7 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 07:48 PM

Not much. It looks very much like the one I thought it was, but I have not clinched an ID. This is extremely common in gardens. I don't think leaf shape is right for C. franchetti.

Some suggestions, with links to ETI website (on-line version of Stace): C. amoenus, C. dielsianus, C.mairei, C. mucronatus.

I currently have 6 different species in the garden which I'm trying to tie down (including one similar to this), plus at least 4 bird-sown ones in the wild. Most of the time, I end up plugging through all 100 or so entries in Stace to create a long-list of possibles. Try visiting a good garden centre to case out what's being sold! Your main local library probably has a copy of Stace. He has several plates comparing Cotoneaster leaves, which are very useful.

If you're willing to wait until the spring, you can get quite a few useful characters to separate the species when they're in flower.

poschiavanus