Athyrium filix-femina

Forest - Lady Fern ( Athyrium filix- femina )

The forest - Lady Fern ( Athyrium filix- femina ), also simply called Lady Fern or Common Forest Fern, one is in Central Europe widespread fern species.

Description

It is deciduous plants overwinter with a short, creeping or ascending rhizome.

The fronds can reach lengths of between 30cm and 1m are pinnate and two to three times. Its main axis is usually green, sometimes straw-colored to pink. The fiederschnittigen leaflets are 2.5 - to 3 - times as long as wide. Axis and leaflets are on the bottom, especially in youth, covered with small, club-shaped hairs, which can give them a little chalky.

The sori, which, in fact are in rows between the midrib of the leaflets and their edge a little closer to the rib are the most basic leaflets clearly hook-shaped, above then elongated straight. You are covered up to Sporenreife from identically shaped indusium.

Overall, the Lady Fern Forest is similar to male fern, but can be easily distinguished by the shape of the sori. Sterile plants are a bit less coarse, and the fronds are at the foundation towards significantly narrower.

Etymology

Due to the similarity with the genuine male fern, which is usually earthier and more Wedel, we considered these two species earlier for males and females. Therefore, both the German name " Lady Fern " and the scientific name of the species filix- femina comes ( filix = Fern, femineus = female ).

Distribution and habitat requirements

The forest - Lady Fern comes in the entire temperate to subtropical in the northern hemisphere, as well as in Central and South America, which is not safe at the southern forms, whether it is not to their own species.

It grows in moist forests, especially on lime-poor soils.

Parasites

The forest - Lady Fern sometimes shows an obvious deformation of its fronds, which are then rolled inwards. This is caused by larvae of the flower fly Chirosia betuleti

Sources and further information

Swell