Dryopteris filix-mas
Common name
male fern
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Ferns
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
DRYFIL
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Streamsides, open scrub, damp forest.
Features
Stout rhizomatous fern. laminae bipinnate up to 125 x 30 cm, dark green above, paler green below. Primary pinnae in 25-50 pairs, secondary pinnae in 15-30 pairs. Sori round, 1-5 pairs on each secondary pinnae.
Similar taxa
Dryopteris is closely related to Polystichium and Lastreopsis, but distinguished from Polystichum by the kidney-shaped indusia, and from Lastreopsis by its abundance of stipe-scales and absence of hairs. D. filix-mas is closely related to D. affinis but can be distinguished by the second pinnae being round ended and margins toothed throughout.
Flowering
N/A
Flower colours
No flowers
Year naturalised
1958
Origin
Europe, Asia, N. America
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Reproduction
Sexually from spores.