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Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Lady-fern

Account Summary

Native, very common, widespread and locally abundant. Circumpolar boreo-temperate.

1860; Smith, Rev Prof R.W.; Co Fermanagh.

Throughout the year.

Growth form and preferred habitats

This widespread and abundant usually calcifuge fern is a large, deciduous, perennial with fronds regularly up to 120 cm long, finely-dissected, delicate-looking (and hence lady-like). Although extremely variable, it is generally easy to recognise, especially when it is a distinctive light, yellowish-green colour. Some plants of a much darker colour do occur, however, and these need to be checked more carefully to ensure correct identification. Lady-fern is a very common and widespread species of damp but well-drained, usually (but not obligatorily) shady, acid to neutral habitats.

In earlier centuries, botanists looked for and found their Male- and Female-ferns, their Filix-mas and Filix-femina, the former being coarse and aggressive, the latter contrastingly delicate, finely-cut and lady-like. The female fern originally chosen was our present day Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), whose lace-like tripinnately-cut fronds suggested feminine grace and delicacy (Step & Jackson 1945). It was the Swedish botanist, Carl von Linné (since he wrote his texts in Latin, most often referred to by the Latinised form of his name, Linnaeus), who transferred the name 'filix-foemina' (nowadays spelt, 'filix-femina') to the present species, likewise regarded as characteristically feminine (Grigson 1974).

Fermanagh occurrence

Lady-fern has been recorded in 380 tetrads, 72% of those in the VC. In reality, we would estimate that it probably occurs in just about every tetrad in Fermanagh except those on: a. the very highest ground, where a combination of altitude and exposure are too great for its tolerances; b. in very heavily disturbed or waterlogged sites; and c. in county boundary tetrads where only a very small parcel of land lies within our survey area. Typical local habitats include deciduous woods, cliffs, rocky ravines, damp meadows and by water, including along ditches, paths, shady roadside banks and hedges. Occasionally, Lady-fern is also found growing on damp to wet walls, though plants generally fail to mature in this circumstance due to the lack of adequate moisture and soil.

Although Lady-fern is a lime-avoiding, calcifuge species, in our damp climate it frequently occurs in shallow, acid, peaty soils overlying calcareous or base-rich rocks. This is especially the case on slopes, which while they are regularly wetted by our skies, permit drainage adequate to support this fern (Page 1997).

Variation

A. filix-femina is one of the most variable of ferns, so that at least 30 named subspecies, varieties, forms and hybrids have arisen in the wild and under cultivation. Some of these named entities are based on the form and cutting of the frond and occurring in widely separated localities and within several races, while others are more geographically limited (Hultén 1962; Hultén & Fries 1986). In Fermanagh, as long ago as 1860, Prof Smith described var. convexum Newm., and var. incisum Newm. as, "abundant everywhere" (Smith 1860; Meikle et al. 1975). Some of named forms are difficult to separate on account of the great variability of the species, not to mention the inherent confusion of the taxonomy and nomenclature. An excellent account of this fern in Britain and Ireland, its variation, recognition and ecology, is provided by Page (1997).

British and Irish occurrence

A. filix-femina is a very common and widespread species throughout the British Isles, being especially common in the wetter and more mountainous western counties. It becomes local only in the somewhat drier and colder Irish Midlands and in the more continental climate of East Anglia (Jermy et al. 1978; Page 1997; New Atlas).

European and world occurrence

A. filix-femina in the broadest sense is a very widespread circumpolar species of middle latitudes around the northern hemisphere. The distribution thins southwards towards the southern peninsulas of the European mainland and the Mediterranean isles. It also becomes decidedly more sparsely scattered in eastern parts of continental Europe (Hultén 1962, Maps 168A & 168B; Jalas & Suominen 1972, Map 105; Hultén & Fries 1986, Map 49). In the southern hemisphere, Lady-fern has also been reported from tropical forests and mountains in Zimbabwe, Natal, Java, Peru and Argentina (Hultén 1962; Grime et al. 1988).

Names and Uses

The derivation of the genus name 'Athyrium', is somewhat obscure, but possibly comes from the Greek 'anthoros', meaning 'breeding well', perhaps alluding to the varying form of the sori (Gilbert-Carter 1964; Hyam & Pankhurst 1995). The Latin specific epithet, 'filix-femina', translates as 'Lady Fern' (Step & Jackson 1945). In herbal medicine, the uses of Lady Fern are as in Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), but it is considered less powerful in its action (Grieve 1931).

Threats

None.