Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)

Features and Characteristics

Dryopteris filix-mas, commonly called male fern, is native to Europe and North America. This is a large, arching, deciduous male fern with erect, stout rhizomes and medium green blades (fronds) that grow to 3’ (less frequently to 4’) tall. Blade is pinnate-pinnatifid (almost 2-pinnate) with 20-30 pair of long-pointed pinnae (leaflets) per blade. Each leaflet is divided into short, rounded, finely-serrated pinnules (sub-leaflets). Sori (fruit dots) on the leaflets are located closer to the midvein than the margin. Crisped, crested, forked and dwarf variants of this species exist. In North America, this fern ranges from Newfoundland to British Columbia, from New England to the Great Lakes, and from South Dakota to Washington south to California and Texas. It is typically found in cool, moist, rocky woods, but in New England it is uncommon and limited only to areas with calcareous soils. In Europe, it is commonly found in a variety of locations including roadsides.

Genus name from Greek dryas meaning oak and pteris meaning fern in reference to the presence of some species of wood ferns in woodland areas populated with oaks.

Specific epithet means male fern in reference to the somewhat vigorous growing habits of ferns in this species.