Ferns Archives - James Common

Year of Ferns: Ophioglossum and Overdue Ferns

Motivated by last year’s fern forays and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them. This blog will be part #9.

Holy Island – 29 June

In the closing days of June, I found myself in the privileged position of leading a guided orchid tour of Holy Island. Conveniently, our route on the second day took us past Northumberland’s only known population of a rather beautiful, if minuscule, little fern: Small Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum azoricum.

A tiny, rhizomatous species of short coastal grassland and clifftops, the colony here was discovered by my colleague Chris Metherell and seemingly represents the only known site on the east coast of England. Given that we were passing, it would have been rude not to call in and pay our respects.

Thankfully, the fern wasn’t difficult to find (I have visited more than my fair share of times) and, despite the recent heatwave, the population appeared to be doing rather well. Photographing a plant this small is always something of a challenge, but I’m rather pleased with the images below.

Small Adder’s-tongue *Ophioglossum azoricum*

Hareshaw Linn – 3 July

Fast forward a few days and a trip to Hareshaw Linn delivered the next of the year’s ‘new’ ferns. The purpose of the visit was actually a fern identification session I was leading for work and, in the space of just a few hours, we managed to track down a healthy 16 species.

Among the highlights were some superb displays of Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis and Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris, both of which rank among my favourite pteridophytes.

Of course, while visiting Hareshaw Linn, it would have been rude not to pay homage to the site’s population of Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis. The plants here are far more ornately lobed than those encountered earlier in the year and, as a result, considerably easier to identify. A bonny thing indeed!

This aside, our visit to the Linn did provide a few genuinely new additions to this year’s challenge. The first, Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis, was perhaps a little overdue by this point in the season. Better late than never, though, and we encountered several healthy clumps growing alongside the spleenwort on the cool, rocky banks.

Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort
*Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis*

Two other ferns proved a little harder to track down, both being rather thin on the ground at this site. Happily, we eventually encountered fine examples of Lemon-scented Fern Oreopteris limbosperma and Narrow Buckler-fern Dryopteris carthusiana, growing in a damp, flushed area alongside Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum and a host of other characteristic plants.

With those two safely accounted for, the year’s tally climbed to a healthy 40 species. I fear, however, that I may now have exhausted most of the easy options. From here on in, adding new ferns to the list is likely to require a little more effort…

Lemon-scented Fern *Oreopteris limbosperma*

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	Tyneside
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	Tyneside
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	Tyneside
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	Tyneside
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	Tyneside
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	Tyneside
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	Tyneside
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	Tyneside
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	Tyneside
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	Tyneside
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	Tyneside
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	Tyneside
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	Tyneside
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	Northumberland
#19 Lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina	Tyneside
#20 Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum vulgatum	Tyneside
#21 Delicate Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes	North Yorkshire
#22 Narrow Male-fern	Dryopteris cambrensis	North Yorkshire
#23 Green Spleenwort	Asplenium viride	North Yorkshire
#24 Parsley Fern	Cryptogramma crispa	North Yorkshire
#25 Moonwort	Botrychium lunaria	County Durham
#26 Holly Fern	Polystichum lonchitis	N/A
#27 Oblong Woodsia	Woodsia ilvensis	N/A
#28 Western Sword-fern	Polystichum munitum	Northumberland
#29 Oak Fern	Gymnocarpium dryopteris	Northumberland
#30 Beech Fern	Phegopteris connectilis	Northumberland
#31 Polypody	Polypodium vulgare	Northumberland
#32 Royal Fern	Osmunda regalis	Yorkshire
#33 Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis	Yorkshire
#34 Rigid Buckler-fern	Dryopteris submontana	Cumbria
#35 Limestone Fern	Gymnocarpium robertianum	Cumbria
#36 Sea Spleenwort	Asplenium marinum	Northumberland
#37 Small Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum azoricum	Northumberland
#38 Narrow Buckler-fern	Dryopteris carthusiana	Northumberland
#39 Brittle Bladder-fern	Cystopteris fragilis	Northumberland
#40 Lemon-scented Fern	Oreopteris limbosperma	Northumberland

Year of Ferns: Special Ferns

Barnard Castle – 10 May

Back at the start of May, a rare free weekend allowed Matt and me to visit a wonderful ancient woodland tucked away near Barnard Castle. For those unfamiliar with Deepdale, there are excellent resources available online, but suffice it to say that it is a rather special place.

As well as supporting a wide variety of wildflowers and ancient woodland indicator species, the site is also home to some interesting ferns – none more so than Royal Fern Osmunda regalis. A species of heathland, blanket bog and wet woodland, Royal Fern is rare in North East England, largely as a result of Victorian over-collecting and habitat loss. However, it was never as abundant here as it is further west. The Deepdale population is thought to have originated from a historical introduction, but the plants are now thoroughly naturalised and growing in exactly the sort of habitat one might expect. That means they count!

Although we were a little early in the season, we managed to find several fronds beginning to emerge from amongst the tangle of vegetation characteristic of boggy woodland.

While in the area, we also paid a visit to a site reputed to support Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis. We found it readily enough, though the plants looked remarkably different from the ornate, conspicuously lobed examples I am more familiar with in Northumberland. A little further reading suggested that these belonged to Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis var. subequale. Despite their somewhat different appearance, they fitted the description well, with overlapping, broadly triangular pinnules, distinctly lobed margins and pinnae attached more or less centrally to the rachis. As ever, there is always something new to learn.

Limestone Country – 24 May

I wrote about this excursion in more detail elsewhere, but fast forward to the end of May, and I finally fulfilled a long-held ambition: visiting and properly botanising an area of limestone pavement. A long drive to Great Asby Scar NNR proved more than worthwhile, and aside from a rather painful sunburn, it was a fantastic day, with an impressive variety of ferns and other limestone-loving plants on display.

Among the highlights were two particularly special species: Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana and Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, both growing happily amongst the grikes. In truth, there were so many plants scattered across the pavement that we lost count – a testament to the remarkable diversity supported by these precious habitats.

The fern flora did not end there. We also encountered Moonwort Botrychium lunaria, Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride and a host of other species, making for a thoroughly successful trip. Having waited so long to visit a classic limestone pavement site, it was gratifying to find it lived up to expectations.

Limestone Fern *Gymnocarpium robertianum*

To the Coast – 31 May

Rather less exhilarating than a trip to Cumbria’s limestone pavements was a Natural History Society of Northumbria outing to the Northumberland coast on the final day of May. While the excursion was not focused on ferns, it did provide a welcome opportunity to catch up – somewhat belatedly – with a familiar fixture of our coastline: Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum.

Truthfully, the plants were not looking their best. Weeks of unusually warm, dry weather had left many of the fronds looking rather frazzled, and some plants had retreated into a decidedly less photogenic state. Nevertheless, enough fresh growth remained to show off the species’ distinctive fleshy, once-pinnate fronds, making identification straightforward.

And with that, the tally stood at 36 ferns by the end of May – not a bad total, I think, with plenty of the more challenging species still to come.

With a trip to the Highlands pencilled in for August, a few dates set aside for jaunts to the Lake District and possibly even Lancashire, I’m hoping that there’ll be many more new and exciting species still to come.

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	Tyneside
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	Tyneside
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	Tyneside
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	Tyneside
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	Tyneside
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	Tyneside
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	Tyneside
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	Tyneside
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	Tyneside
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	Tyneside
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	Tyneside
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	Tyneside
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	Tyneside
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	Northumberland
#19 Lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina	Tyneside
#20 Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum vulgatum	Tyneside
#21 Delicate Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes	North Yorkshire
#22 Narrow Male-fern	Dryopteris cambrensis	North Yorkshire
#23 Green Spleenwort	Asplenium viride	North Yorkshire
#24 Parsley Fern	Cryptogramma crispa	North Yorkshire
#25 Moonwort	Botrychium lunaria	County Durham
#26 Holly Fern	Polystichum lonchitis	N/A
#27 Oblong Woodsia	Woodsia ilvensis	N/A
#28 Western Sword-fern	Polystichum munitum	Northumberland
#29 Oak Fern	Gymnocarpium dryopteris	Northumberland
#30 Beech Fern	Phegopteris connectilis	Northumberland
#31 Polypody	Polypodium vulgare	Northumberland
#32 Royal Fern	Osmunda regalis	Yorkshire
#33 Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis	Yorkshire
#34 Rigid Buckler-fern	Dryopteris submontana	Cumbria
#35 Limestone Fern	Gymnocarpium robertianum	Cumbria
#36 Sea Spleenwort	Asplenium marinum	Northumberland

Limestone Pavement Plants at Great Asby Scar

I had wanted to visit a limestone pavement for what felt like many years, ever since first encountering the habitat in GCSE geography lessons – and even more so once I became interested in botany. This past Sunday, I finally had the chance when Matt agreed to drive two hours from Newcastle to Great Asby Scar.

Widely regarded as one of the finest examples of limestone pavement in England, Great Asby Scar lies on a hillside between the villages of Orton and Great Asby. Once heavily plundered by Victorian gardeners in search of decorative limestone, the site is now strongly protected as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve (NNR), largely because of the remarkable wildlife supported by this rare habitat. For our visit, we opted for a short route from a convenient nearby car park, though as the route map here shows, it would be very easy to extend the walk and take in even more of the spectacular scenery.

Limestone pavements are rare and highly specialised habitats, characterised by flat, block-like slabs known as clints and deep, nutrient-rich fissures called grikes. Together, these create a remarkable mosaic of microhabitats, where shade-loving woodland plants can thrive just inches away from drought-tolerant species exposed to the full sun. Among these are a host of interesting ferns — the main reason for our visit.

Setting out from the car park, it was not long before we encountered our first species among smaller outcrops of limestone beside the ascending path. Here, Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium grew alongside the lime-loving Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens and Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria. All are relatively common species, but it was pleasing to see them in a natural setting. Accompanying them were abundant Blue Moor-grass Sesleria caerulea and several woodland plants tucked away within the grikes, including Ramsons Allium ursinum and Dog’s-mercury Mercurialis perennis.

Wall-rue *Asplenium ruta-muraria* in its natural habitat on limestone rock

The thin calcareous grassland lining the path on our approach also held plenty of interest, including some lovely colonies of Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula. This species occurs here in impressive abundance. Much less conspicuous were Knotted Pearlwort Sagina nodosa and Thyme-leaved Sandwort Arenaria serpyllifolia, though both were flowering happily among the shorter turf.

A healthy patch of Early-purple Orchid *Orchis mascula*

More exciting still was a duo of scarce and rather diminutive ferns spotted as we neared the gate into the reserve. First came a solitary Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, followed shortly afterwards, much to my delight, by a fine example of Moonwort Botrychium lunaria, one of my favourite pteridophytes and a species I encounter only very infrequently indeed.

After this, we entered the main part of the reserve, passing a handy information panel before emerging onto an expansive area of limestone pavement. What struck us immediately was how each grike seemed to support its own distinctive assemblage of species. This diversity would have been very easy to spend an entire day peering into the crevices. Unfortunately, we did not have all day, so we quickly set about searching for some of the specialist ferns we had travelled such a long way to see.

Bluebell *Hyacinthoides non-scripta* could also be seen in the grikes

Finding these species proved fairly straightforward, in truth, as all grow conveniently close to the path. First came several large colonies of Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, a rather lovely species that, until now, I had only encountered in cultivation. Here, however, it seemed to be everywhere, spilling from grikes and shaded ledges in impressive abundance.

Limestone Fern *Gymnocarpium robertianum,* looking rather frizzy and unkempt

The next species, Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana, was somewhat less abundant, though still present in respectable numbers. Highly susceptible to grazing, this rather understated fern has its British strongholds in the limestone pavements of Cumbria and Yorkshire. It can be distinguished from similar-looking species by the distinctly glaucous tone of its fronds, caused by the copious glands spread across the frond surface.

Growing alongside these were Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride, Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and plenty of Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis. Had we spent more time scrutinising the male-ferns, we would almost certainly have found additional taxa among them. Plenty of Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum could also be seen, alongside the ever-present Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas.

Western Scaly Male-fern *Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis*

As things transpired, we located the vast majority of our target species rather quickly, leaving plenty of time for an enjoyable circular wander around the reserve to see what else we could find. Within the grikes, it was particularly nice to encounter Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis alongside the more familiar woodland flora. Other notable finds included Hairy Rock-cress Arabis hirsuta, Limestone Bedstraw Galium sterneri and an abundance of Mouse-ear-Hawkweed Pilosella officinarum with its cheerful lemon-yellow flowers.

We probably ought to have spent more time examining the sedges and grasses, but with temperatures creeping towards 21°C during our visit, we were beginning to feel fairly well cooked by that point.

Lily-of-the-Valley *Convallaria majalis* not yet in bloom

Deciding we were getting a little too warm, after a few hours, we eventually began the walk back from the scar. Had we spent longer there, no doubt many more interesting species would have revealed themselves, but even so, we enjoyed a wonderful few hours in what is a beautiful, diverse and incredibly atmospheric landscape.

I can certainly understand why so many people extol the virtues of northern England’s limestone pavements, and I will undoubtedly be returning to explore them again in the future.

Year of Ferns: Scarcities & Surprises

A Few Scarce Ferns – 26 April

When it comes to our rarer ferns, it’s often best not to share precise locations. I’ll usually take cues from what trusted organisations and recorders have made public. Still, even then, the vulnerability of some populations makes it sensible to err on the side of caution. So, no grid references or site names this time, but suffice it to say that with spring getting underway, it felt like the right moment to head out in search of some of our more elusive pteridophytes. Cue a long drive away from Newcastle…

Our first stop was in pursuit of a particular favourite: Moonwort Botrychium lunaria. This curious little plant of calcareous grasslands, spoil heaps and old mine workings has become something of a personal nemesis – frequently eluding targeted searches, only to appear when least expected. On this occasion, however, I had a good idea where to look and despite it being a touch early in the season, was pleased to find the first fronds just beginning to emerge from the tightly grazed turf of an upland fell.

It’s a delightful species, though I’ll admit it, it doesn’t look like much early in the year.

The second target fern was rather more dependable. Holly-fern Polystichum lonchitis is a striking species, its tough, tapering fronds lending it a distinctive, almost architectural quality. It tends to favour the most inaccessible of habitats, occupying cool, well-drained niches at the base of cliffs, on shaded ledges, and among boulder scree. As such, it’s one of those ferns that usually demands a bit of effort to see.

Our plant, it must be said, was looking a little the worse for wear, with just a handful of fresh fronds emerging from a clump of last year’s browned foliage. Still, it very much counted. With any luck, I’ll come across more robust specimens when I make it to Scotland later in the year.

Not to be overlooked, the day also brought encounters with two particularly appealing lycophytes: Fir Clubmoss Huperzia selago and Lesser Clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides. Alongside these were a suite of more familiar upland ferns, rounding off a thoroughly satisfying trip.

An Unusual Escape – 27 April

Fast forward to Sunday and, rather unexpectedly, a guided walk with a local Friends group turned up another addition to the fern list. And an unlikely one at that. The rather impressive specimen pictured below proved to be Western Sword-fern Polystichum munitum, a North American species recorded from only a handful of sites nationally, according to the BSBI.

To encounter it in Holywell Dene, North Tyneside, was something of a surprise, and I’ll admit it took a bit of working through before the penny dropped. It is most likely a garden escape, but either way, it appears to represent the first known occurrence for South Northumberland.

Western Sword-fern *Polystichum munitum*

Woodland Specialists – 5 May

Whilst I’ve covered that particular trip in more detail elsewhere, a Bank Holiday wander at Cupola Banks above the River Allen yielded the next two ferns for the year. Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris and Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis are, in truth, among my favourites. While not especially rare in a national context, they are decidedly scarce in my part of the world.

Both species favour rugged, humid upland woodland that has remained largely undisturbed, often growing in spots that seem either inaccessible or of little interest to grazing animals. Delicate and rather pretty, they are among our most elegant ferns, and I never tire of seeing them.

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	Tyneside
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	Tyneside
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	Tyneside
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	Tyneside
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	Tyneside
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	Tyneside
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	Tyneside
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	Tyneside
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	Tyneside
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	Tyneside
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	Tyneside
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	Tyneside
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	Tyneside
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	Northumberland
#19 Lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina	Tyneside
#20 Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum vulgatum	Tyneside
#21 Delicate Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes	North Yorkshire
#22 Narrow Male-fern	Dryopteris cambrensis	North Yorkshire
#23 Green Spleenwort	Asplenium viride	North Yorkshire
#24 Parsley Fern	Cryptogramma crispa	North Yorkshire
#25 Moonwort	Botrychium lunaria	County Durham
#26 Holly Fern	Polystichum lonchitis	N/A
#27 Oblong Woodsia	Woodsia ilvensis	N/A
#28 Western Sword-fern	Polystichum munitum	Northumberland
#29 Oak Fern	Gymnocarpium dryopteris	Northumberland
#30 Beech Fern	Phegopteris connectilis	Northumberland

Year of Ferns: Tackling Teesdale

Year of Ferns: Adder’s-tongue

Adder’s-tongue – 17 April

Whilst there hasn’t been much time for fern hunting of late, things have been ticking along nicely. Although I have a few more exciting trips planned, much of my recent botanising has taken place closer to home, resulting in just two new finds. The first was Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina, which is now beginning to appear almost everywhere. The second find was far more exciting.

Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum is a curious little fern, and one that never fails to raise a smile. I still remember the first time I encountered it, back in 2018, shortly after beginning work with the Natural History Society of Northumbria. During a visit to the Society’s Gosforth Nature Reserve, I was led a few paces outside the reserve gate by Paul, the warden, who directed me towards the low vegetation growing along the unassuming verge between the reserve and a busy main road.

Typically, Ophioglossum appears here in late April or early May, presumably responding to the warmer conditions of spring. This year, however, has been unusual. Many things, from Bluebells to emerging butterflies, seem to be running several weeks ahead of schedule. With that in mind, I decided to check that same verge outside Gosforth Nature Reserve and, hey presto…

An indicator of older, unimproved grassland where both it and its associated fungi flourish, this species has suffered greatly from agricultural intensification, nutrient enrichment, and the loss of traditional grazing regimes. Today, it tends to persist only in places where land management has remained relatively unchanged: damp pastures, species-rich meadows, coastal dunes, etc.

The fact that it survives on this unassuming verge is a testament to the work of NHSN volunteers, who do their best to ensure the grassland is not mown inappropriately, and to the fortuitously placed signpost which protects the small group of ferns growing in the sward at its base. It is always satisfying when a species falls neatly into place ecologically, and nicer still to see a plant growing happily in the same spot where I first encountered it almost a decade ago.

Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum on the same verge several years back

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	January, Newcastle
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	January, Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	January, Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	February, County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	February, County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	March, Newcastle
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	March, Northumberland
#19 Lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina	April, Newcastle
#20 Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum vulgatum	April, Newcastle

Flora of Harshaw Linn

Hareshaw Linn, with its beautiful waterfall and steep-sided wooded banks, is an interesting place to visit whatever the season. Its flora, comprising many ferns and ancient-woodland indicator species, is distinctive and broadly representative of Northumberland’s upland gorges.

Please note that this page and other site features are a work in progress. More plants will be added as they are photographed.

Ferns & Horsetails

Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis

Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis, a rare subspecies of Maidenhair Spleenwort, is a small fern of rocky, calcareous habitats, confined to just a few places in the UK. It is identified by its dark, wiry stipe and rachis, bearing rows of small, rounded pinnules with noticably scalloped margins.

This is the rarest of the three Maidenhair Spleenwort subspecies found in the UK and is restricted entirely to a few areas of limestone rock, Hareshaw Linn being one of them. It is easy to spot close to the site’s waterfall.

Beech Fern
Phegopteris connectilis

A delicate fern of damp, shaded woodland and upland habitats. It is recognised by its soft, triangular fronds, with the lowest pair of pinnae spreading outwards and slightly downwards. Often forming loose colonies, it favours moist, acidic soils and is a characteristic species of undisturbed woodland, often in the uplands.

This is a scarce fern at Hareshaw Linn, but a few colonies can be found just before the waterfall.

Oak Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris

Oak Fern is a light and delicate fern of damp, shaded woodland and upland habitats. It is identified by its pale green, triangular fronds, divided into three main parts, giving it a soft and airy appearance. Often forming loose patches on moist, acidic soils, it is a characteristic species of cool, shaded, upland environments.

Like Beech Fern, this one is picky about where it grows. Look for it in the area of the third bridge.

Green Spleenwort
Asplenium viride

A small fern of rocky, often calcareous habitats, including cliffs, screes and limestone outcrops. It is readily identified by its bright green rachis, which distinguishes it from similar species with darker stems. The short fronds bear rounded pinnules, and the plant typically grows in crevices in exposed but sheltered rock faces.

Green Spleenwort does not seem to be faring particularly well at Hareshaw Linn. On my most recent visit, I was able to find just a single plant growing on rocks near the waterfall.

Brittle Bladder-fern
Cystopteris fragilis

Brittle bladder-fern is a delicate fern of rocky habitats, walls and shaded crevices. It is identified by its finely divided, lacy fronds and its fragile stems, which break easily when handled. The small, rounded sori on the underside of the fronds are covered by bladder-like indusia, giving the species its common name.

Best looked for around the waterfall but present in other exposed, rocky areas.

Polypody
Polypodium vulgare

A familiar fern of rocks, walls, tree trunks and woodland banks, recognised by its leathery, pinnate fronds with rounded lobes and the neat rows of circular sori on the underside. Often growing in mossy crevices or on old stonework, it is a widespread and rather prominent plant at this site.

Given its tendency to grow as an epiphyte, it sometimes pays to look up when searching for this fern.

Hard Shield-fern
Polystichum aculeatum

Hard shield-fern is a robust evergreen fern of woodland, hedgebanks and rocky slopes. It is identified by its dark green, glossy fronds with stiff, sharply pointed pinnules that give the plant a rigid appearance.

Separating this one from Soft Shield-fern can be tricky, but look for the Hard Shield-fern’s stiff, leathery texture and sessile pinnules (lacking a distinct stalk). Soft Shield-fern has a soft, limp feel, a truncate frond base, and distinctly stalked pinnules.

Lemon-scented Fern
Oreopteris limbosperma

A graceful fern of damp heaths, moorland and open woodland. It is recognised by its soft, pale green fronds and the fresh lemon scent released when the foliage is crushed. The fronds are broadly triangular, and the sori are arranged close to the margins on the underside.

Narrow Buckler-fern
Dryopteris carthusiana

Narrow Buckler-fern is a delicate fern of damp woodland, flushes and wet heaths. It is identified by its narrowly triangular fronds with finely divided pinnules, giving the plant a light and feathery appearance, and can be separated from Broad Buckler-fern by its straw-coloured scales that lack a dark central stripe.

Borrer’s Male-fern
Dryopteris borreri

Dryopteris borreri is the commonest member of the Dryopteris affinis complex and is distinguished by its soft-textured, semi-deciduous fronds that typically end in an abruptly squared-off base.

Other key features include its flat-topped pinnules with prominent “cat’s ear” teeth on the outer corners, fully stalked basal pinnules, and diffuse veins that frequently show pale blotching in the surrounding leaf tissue.

Broad Buckler-fern
Dryopteris dilatata

In damp woodland and along shaded banks, Dryopteris dilatata is one of the more conspicuous ferns. The large, broadly triangular fronds arise in dense clumps and are finely divided into many small segments. The scales covering the stipe (stem) are brown with a dark central stripe, separating them from Narrow Buckler-fern.

Hart’s-tongue
Asplenium scolopendrium

Hart’s-tongue stands apart from most British ferns in having long, undivided fronds rather than divided leaflets. The glossy, strap-shaped leaves form dense clumps on shaded banks, damp woodland floors and old walls. Beneath the fronds, the sori appear as paired, diagonal lines, a distinctive feature of the Asplenium.

Hard Fern
Blechnum spicant

Hard Fern [left] is a distinctive evergreen fern of damp woods, heaths and upland habitats. It forms low rosettes of spreading sterile fronds, from which arise taller, narrower fertile fronds that stand upright in the centre. The pinnae are stiff and evenly spaced, giving the fronds a neat, comb-like appearance.

Lady-fern
Athyrium filix-femina

A graceful and delicate species of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded banks. Its fronds are soft, pale green and finely divided, often arching outward to form loose, airy clumps. The sori are small and curved (J-shaped), helping separate it from most other ferns.

Wood Horsetail
Equisetum sylvaticum

Wood Horsetail is a delicate species of damp woodland, shaded banks and stream sides. Its slender stems bear numerous fine, drooping branches which, unique among horsetails, are branched again, giving a soft, feathery appearance.

Wildflowers

Downy Currant
Ribes spicatum

This rare little shrub is associated with the spate zone of shaded river and streamsides in north-eastern England, Cumbria, and north-eastern Scotland. It looks a lot like the common Red Currant, but can be separated based on its mat and rather dull, dark green leaves that are held at right angles to the stem. Helpfully, the petiole or leaf-stalk is he petiole is green in Downy Currant but orange-ish in Red Currant.

Herb-paris
Paris quadrifolia

Herb-paris is a distinctive woodland perennial recognised by its single whorl of four broad leaves set at the top of an upright stem. From the centre arises a solitary greenish flower with narrow sepals and a cluster of prominent yellow stamens. Later in the season, this develops into a single dark blue-black berry, a key feature that makes the species unmistakable

This is one of the truly special plants of Hareshaw Linn and can be seen easily from the path in the early stages of the wood.

Marsh Hawk’s-beard
Crepis paludosa

Marsh hawk’s-beard is a tall perennial of damp woodland, flushes and stream sides. The bright yellow flower heads are borne in a loose cluster, and the upper leaves clasp the stem with rounded, backwards-pointing auricles. Beneath the flower heads, the involucral bracts carry black glandular hairs, while the fruits are distinctive pale achenes that are ten-ribbed, hairless and lack a beak.

Marsh Hawk’s-beard is most typically found in constantly cool, damp, moist sites, such as near waterfalls, by upland streams, on wet, north-facing cliffs, and in narrow, shady ravines.

Good-King-Henry
Blitum bonus-henricus

An odd one to include here perhaps, but Good-King-Henrey is a prominent feature of the walk towards Hareshaw Linn, occurring in fields close to the car park.

This one forms clumps of large, triangular to arrow-shaped leaves, often with a slightly mealy surface beneath. The green flowers are small and inconspicuous, produced in dense spikes above the foliage, later developing into clusters of tiny fruits.

Betony
Betonica officinalis

Betony is an attractive perennial of grassland, woodland edges and heathy slopes. It forms a basal rosette of softly hairy, oval leaves with rounded teeth, from which rise square stems typical of the mint family. The bright purple flowers are crowded into a dense terminal spike, making the plant rather conspicuous when in bloom.

Yellow Pimpernel
Lysimachia nemorum

Yellow Pimpernel is a delicate creeping perennial of damp woodland, stream banks and shaded ground. Its slender, often rooting stems spread across the soil, bearing opposite, rounded leaves on long stalks.

The small, bright yellow flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils and look rather lovely in early summer.

Moschatel
Adoxa moschatellina

A small woodland perennial that appears early in spring on damp, shaded woodland floors. It forms patches of soft, deeply divided leaves from creeping rhizomes, often carpeting the ground before the tree canopy closes.

The tiny greenish flowers are arranged in a distinctive cube-like cluster, with four facing sideways and one on top, giving rise to the nickname “town-hall clock”. The flowers are faintly musky-scented, reflected in the species name moschatellina.

Wood Crane’s-bill
Geranium sylvaticum

Wood Crane’s-bill is a tall perennial of damp meadows, woodland edges and upland grassland. The stems carry deeply divided, palmate leaves and relatively large violet-purple flowers with darker veins and a pale centre. The fruits develop into the characteristic long “crane’s-bill” seed head typical of the genus.

Sanicle
Sanicula europaea

A woodland perennial typically found in shaded, base-rich woods and along hedge banks. It forms clumps of glossy, palmately lobed basal leaves from which arise slender stems bearing small, rounded heads of pinkish-white flowers.

Unlike most members of the carrot family, the flowers are arranged in tight umbels rather than open sprays. The fruits are covered in hooked bristles that aid dispersal by attaching to passing animals.

Common Cow-wheat
Melampyrum pratense

Common Cow-wheat is a slender annual of acidic woodland, heaths and moorland edges. Its narrow opposite leaves line the delicate stems, while the pale yellow tubular flowers are borne in the upper leaf axils, often accompanied by reddish-tinged bracts. The species is semi-parasitic, drawing nutrients from the roots of neighbouring plants, particularly grasses and shrubs.

Grasses & Sedges

Wood Melick
Melica uniflora

Melica uniflora is a graceful perennial grass of shaded deciduous woodland and hedge banks. Its slender stems carry a delicate, open panicle of drooping spikelets, each typically containing a single fertile floret. The broad, soft leaves and nodding inflorescence give it a distinctive appearance among woodland grasses.

While this little grass is difficult to miss when flowering in late spring, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot at other times of year.

Wood Fescue
Drymochloa sylvatica

Wood Fescue is a robust grass of shaded cliffs, ravines and steep deciduous woodland. Its broad, flat leaves arise in loose tufts, while tall flowering stems carry large, graceful and airy panicles. Purple-tinged stem bases and leaves that characteristically fold or double over towards their tips are useful field characters, particularly when combined with its preference for steep, shady woodland.

This is without doubt one of the more special plants found at Hareshaw Linn and is best looked for on approach to the waterfall.

Remote Sedge
Carex remota

Remote sedge is a slender sedge of damp woodland, shaded stream sides and wet ground. It forms loose tufts of narrow leaves, with thin flowering stems bearing widely spaced spikelets along the upper portion. This well-separated arrangement of spikelets gives the species its name and helps distinguish it from similar woodland sedges.

Pale Sedge
Carex pallescens

A tufted perennial of damp grassland, woodland rides and open, often base-rich ground. Its pale green flowering stems carry a terminal male spike above two or three short, closely grouped female spikes, while the utricles are notably smooth and beakless. If in doubt, look for the distinctive transverse wrinkles at the base of the bract.

This one grows conveniently by the pathside around the third and fourth bridge.

Wood Sedge
Carex sylvatica

Wood-sedge is a graceful species of shady deciduous woodland, hedge banks and stream sides. Loose tufts of broad green leaves give rise to arching stems, with a slender terminal male spike above several long-stalked, drooping female spikes. These elegantly hanging spikes, together with the long-beaked fruits, make it one of the more distinctive woodland sedges, and by far the most abundant.

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Year of Ferns: Tunbridge Filmy-fern

My First Filmy-fern – 19 March

I’ve been rather forgetful of late and haven’t got round to writing one of these posts for a while, but I am, of course, still fern hunting.

On Friday, a rare shared day off gave Matt and me the perfect excuse for a short trip north in search of a plant I’ve wanted to see for many years: Tunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense.

This is a fern with very particular tastes. It depends on constant humidity and is highly vulnerable to drying out, growing only where cool, damp, shaded microclimates persist – deep rock fissures, caves, or permanently wet stone. Such conditions are in short supply in the North East, which goes some way to explaining its rarity here. By contrast, it is much more frequent in the humid Atlantic woodlands of western Scotland and parts of Cumbria. Even so, it does occur in a handful of quiet corners of our region.

As ever with rare species, I won’t be sharing precise details. Suffice it to say that, after a little searching, we were rewarded with a thriving colony. The plants here were confirmed as Tunbridge Filmy-fern by the irregularly toothed margins of the indusia, visible in the first image below.

Tunbridge Filmy-fern *Hymenophyllum tunbrigense*

When we think of ferns, we tend to picture the large, arching fronds of Dryopteris, rising in characteristic shuttlecocks from the woodland floor. Tunbridge Filmy-fern could scarcely look more different. At a glance, it could easily be mistaken for a moss or liverwort and overlooked entirely.

Look closer, however, and it is unmistakably a fern, and a rather beautiful one at that. The fronds are thin and delicate, twice-divided and almost translucent, with a subtle glaucous, bluish cast. That translucence comes from their structure: each frond is just a single cell thick, giving rise to the distinctive “filmy” appearance.

It is a quietly remarkable plant and a real treat to see at long last. Another species ticked off the botanical bucket list…

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	January, Newcastle
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	January, Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	January, Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	February, County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	February, County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	March, Newcastle
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	March, Northumberland

Year of Ferns: A Rare Little Spleenwort

Asplenium x clermoniae – 26th January

On Sunday, a trip north into rural Northumberland provided a welcome opportunity to check in on one of the rarest and most intriguing ferns in North East England: Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort Asplenium × clermontiae – a hybrid I hadn’t seen since 2023, when I published a short blog about it here.

To cut a long story short, this is an exceedingly rare hybrid between Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria and Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens. On paper, it ought to be more widespread, given the abundance of its parent species, but this is very much not the case. In fact, it is currently known from just three individual plants across the entirety of the British Isles. The Northumberland plant has been known since the early 2000s and has been visited by many pteridologists over the years.

It is a rather unruly-looking fern, showing characteristics of both parents, and so far as this year’s pteridological challenge goes, an excellent one to notch up early on.

Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort *Asplenium x clermontiae*

A short distance away, another unassuming wall played host to a second rare little spleenwort, though not quite so rare as the species mentioned above. Rustyback Asplenium ceterach is common in many parts of the UK but decidedly scarce in the North East and, despite an abundance of seemingly suitable habitat, remains confined to a small number of quarries and walls across the region. I do wonder whether climate plays a part. In North Northumberland, it is a Rare Plant Register species, meaning it should be reported whenever encountered.

A lover of limestone rocks and lime-rich mortar, this species is easy to identify thanks to its thick, leathery, almost once-pinnate fronds and the dense covering of rust-coloured scales on the underside. The images below show one of two plants observed during a brief pit stop at a well-known site.

Another species down…

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	17 January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	17 January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	17 January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	17 January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	23 January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	23 January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	23 January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	23 January, Newcastle
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	26 January, Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	26 January, Northumberland

Year of Ferns: Woodland in Winter

Woodland Ferns – 17th January

By January, our woodlands are not looking especially vibrant. Cold, wet, and muddy, they are far removed from their spring splendour, and by this point in the year, most of our ferns are looking rather jaded too.

With this in mind, yesterday saw us meandering through Jesmond Dene, keen to see what could still be picked out in the depths of January. As expected, most of the ferns looked rather gnarled by the frosts, but in sheltered spots our two most familiar woodland species could still be found.

Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata, with its broad, wedge-shaped fronds and dark-centred scales, was easily located, as was Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas with its tapering fronds and toothed pinnules. These are perhaps our most abundant native ferns both will look far better come spring.

Continuing our walk, it was also pleasing to see several healthy clumps of Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium looking altogether more robust and vibrant than the straggly individuals spotted on walls during our previous outing.

A healthy example of Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium clinging to a bank.

Another group of evergreen woodland ferns still visible at this time of year are the Polystichum species – the Shield-ferns. Our two native species are both fairly common in shady woodland settings and are easily recognised by their distinctly “mitten-shaped” pinnules. They can be told apart by a combination of features, most notably the overall shape of the frond (gradually tapering versus ending abruptly), whether the pinnules are stalked, and the angle of the lowest pair of pinnules (obtuse vs acute).

In images one and three below, we have Soft Shield-fern Polystichum setiferum: soft to the touch, with a truncate base and pinnules set at an obtuse angle. The third image shows an escaped cultivated form, noticeably more frilly in appearance – a reminder of the interesting things we humans have done to ferns. Note in both examples, the pinnules are stalked. This is also a useful factor in separating these species, as set out in the helpful crib here. A good blog on the two native species can also be found here.

Pinnules of *Polystichum setiferum*, soft to the touch

Close to the first Shield-fern, we also noticed a rather lovely Polypody Polypodium sp clinging to a bridge. I have learned through bitter experience how difficult it is to separate these species on visual characters alone, so having collected a small sample, I’ll be checking the spores later. Stay tuned for another post on those.

A nice *Polypodium* species clinging to the stonework of a bridge.

Last but not least on our morning walk through Jesmond Dene, we stopped to check in on a more unusual fern, first noted last year while recording for my upcoming Urban Flora of Newcastle. At first glance, you might notice that it looks rather similar to the Soft Shield-fern shown previously – and that’s because it is, albeit a little more exotic in nature.

This plant is, in fact, Japanese Lace Fern Polystichum polyblepharon, a widely cultivated garden species that appears to have found its way into the Dene of its own accord. This young plant is growing on a steep, muddy bank where deliberate planting seems highly unlikely, and so can presumably be counted towards this year’s fern fest. As mentioned previously, non-native ferns will count provided they appear to be self-sown.

Japanese Lace Fern *Polystichum polyblepharon*, an oddity of Jesmond Dene

Right Back at It – 23rd January

After work on Friday, I opted for a rather rainy afternoon walk back into the Dene, this time venturing a little further to see what I could find. It was pleasing to come across another Polypodium, this time growing on a tree, though it lacked the spores needed for identification.

Polypodium species growing on a moss-covered tree in Jesmond Dene

Further along the Ouse Burn, the challenge’s next “new” fern became apparent: Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum, with its sessile, acute-angled pinnules and tapering fronds. This is one of the scarcer of the ‘common’ ferns in my part of Newcastle, so it’s always nice to see.

Young Hard Shield-fern *Polystichum aculeatum* clinging to a slope

In the same area that held the shield-fern, it was also pleasing to find two slightly straggly examples of the once-pinnate Hard Fern Blechnum spicant. This species needs little introduction.

Hard Fern *Blechnum spicant* in Jesmond Dene

Slightly more perplexing are the Scaly Male-ferns Dryopteris affinis agg. These were always going to be the most difficult group to contend with during this year’s fern challenge, and no matter how much time I spend looking at them, they still manage to confuse me. Inevitably, I find myself examining a great many specimens before eventually settling on one that matches the descriptions in the various resources stuffed into my rucksack – most of which contradict one another to some degree.

The two common species involved are Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris borreri and Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis.

A selection of Scaly Male-ferns in Jesmond Dene

D. affinis subsp. affinis is soundly evergreen, so as a first step, I looked for a fern that still appeared reasonably fresh for mid-January. Having succeeded, it was time for a closer inspection. As far as I recall, affinis is the only one of the common Scaly Male-ferns to have an adnate lowest basiscopic pinnule (that is, lacking a stalk). It also has rather lucid veins that extend all the way to the pinnule margin, and lowest pinnules on each pinna that are roughly the same size as their neighbours, unlobed and rounded at the tip.

The fern shown below seemed to fit this description, at least in most respects. With a degree of trepidation, I’m therefore calling it Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis.

Lowest pinnules of Western Scaly Male-fern *Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis*

In contrast to affinis, D. borreri has stalked lowest basiscopic pinnules and lowest pinnules that are slightly longer than their neighbours. These are also toothed at the corners (in the typical form, at least) and show slightly more diffuse venation that stops short of the pinnule margins. All quite straightforward in theory.

Taking a frond from one slightly more convincing example and examining it more closely, most of these characteristics are present, particularly in the shape of the pinnules. However, I don’t yet feel that I’ve fully got to grips with the differences in venation. The plant I tentatively labelled as affinis does not appear identical to examples I have seen online. This borreri, however, shows the pale blotching often mentioned in the literature, which is reassuring.

We’ll certainly have to revisit these before attempting any of the rarer ferns within the complex, but hey, practice makes perfect (or so I am told).

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	17 January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	17 January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	17 January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	17 January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	23 January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	23 January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	23 January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	23 January, Newcastle

Year of Ferns: Slim Pickings

Motivated by last year’s successful fern forays, and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them.

The premise is simple: any fern growing in a wild situation counts, as do subspecies, hybrids, and species accepted by the major authorities. I will do my utmost to document each new find here, beginning with easily accessible species and, hopefully, progressing to trickier ones further down the line.

Urban Ferns – 16th January

It seemed reasonable to kick-start this year’s pteridological challenge with something low-key and ordinary. Thus, a search for wall ferns was on the cards.

On a typical street in Newcastle, there are four or five ferns that commonly occur on walls, most of which belong to the genus Asplenium. What I find especially interesting about Asplenium is that it is a genus of polar opposites. Perhaps half a dozen species are so widespread as to seem almost mundane, while others rank among our most elusive ferns, known only from a few carefully guarded sites. When it comes to the former group, the good news is that you don’t need to travel far to find them.

Skulking along some Heaton terraces, it wasn’t long before we came across our first species: Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria, growing snugly in the mortar. Around fifteen plants clung to the wall, many stunted but unmistakable on account of their small, fleshy, club-shaped fronds. It is an easy species to recognise, and one of the commonest of our ferns.

A healthy clump of Wall-rue *Asplenium ruta-muraria*

Mixed in among them were examples of Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes, its fronds borne on dark, wiry stems and clustered in tight tufts within the mortar. While easy to recognise at first glance, there is more to this little fern than meets the eye. What we collectively know as Maidenhair Spleenwort is, in fact, an aggregate of three subspecies, each occupying its own ecological niche. Two of these are rather rare; the third is incredibly common.

Distinguishing between the subspecies requires attention to detail: the shape of the pinnules, the point of insertion of the stalk, the colour of the rachis, and the angle of growth against the substrate. Truth be told, it is a fiddly, detailed, and at times frustrating affair – though it is possible to cheat. The simplest shortcut is habitat. The commonest subspecies, quadrivalens, is a calcicole: a lover of lime. In the wild, it grows on calcareous rocks, but it is equally at home in the lime-rich mortar of brick walls. The second, trichomanes, is a much rarer plant of acidic rocks, typically confined to upland areas and occasionally encountered on dry-stone walls. The third, pachyrachis, is so scarce that it barely warrants consideration here, though for completeness it favours damp limestone and is restricted to just a few corners of the British Isles. By process of elimination, our plant could only be subsp. quadrivalens – a conclusion quickly confirmed by the insertion of the stalk at the corner of each pinnule.

A sorry example of Maidenhair Spleenwort *Asplenium trichomanes* subsp. quadrivalens

Where these two species occur, a third often appears as well, though it rarely looks healthy when growing on walls. Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium may tolerate such habitats, but it much prefers the shade and humidity of woodland, where it typically grows on mildly alkaline soils. Perhaps our most recognisable native fern, with its glossy, lime-green, tongue-like fronds, it presents few challenges. It is also a particularly useful Asplenium for demonstration purposes. The specific epithet scolopendrium is derived from the Greek skolopendra, meaning centipede – an allusion to the arrangement of the sori on the underside of the frond in parallel lines, a key feature of this genus.

Hart’s-tongue *Asplenium scolopendrium* emerging from an exterior wall

Moving on to another terrace, along another street lined with delightfully neglected student front gardens, there was one more species on the day’s agenda. Another Asplenium, though one that, in my experience, is typically harder to come by: Black Spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum. Unlike the wall specialists already encountered, this species is not a strict calcicole. Instead, it favours base-enriched substrates containing modest amounts of calcium or magnesium. For this reason, it is often found on mortared walls, though it grows equally well on natural rock faces and on ruins built from basic stone. It is common in many parts of Britain, but here in the North East, it is by no means abundant.

While it took some finding, after a short while, we managed to locate one small, rather pitiful example peeking out from a crevice. It will do for now!

A stunted example of Black Spleenwort *Asplenium adiantum-nigrum* on a neighbor’s wall

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle

Growing Ferns from Spores – Part 1

It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I’ve developed a slight obsession with ferns of late, centred on both tracking down and identifying wild ones and growing them at home. Despite that, I hadn’t yet tackled the seemingly difficult process of growing ferns from spores. At least, not until this year.

Fern Biology

Ferns are among our most primitive plants, and their reproduction, while fascinating, is less sophisticated than that of flowering plants. Cutting a long story short, spores are produced on the underside of the frond in structures called sori (or a sorus if referring to just one).

Ferns are interesting in that they have two distinct life stages. The first is the gametophyte, or sexual stage, in which the spores grow into a curious, shield-like structure called a prothallus. It looks a bit like a tiny green fish scale and, in truth, rather resembles a bryophyte, but with minute pockets that hold the egg and sperm. When conditions are right, fertilisation takes place, with sperm swimming through water droplets to reach the egg of another prothallus. Only after this stage does what we think of as a “proper” fern develop, as the plant enters the second phase of its lifecycle.

Keen to try this myself – and having sufficiently swotted up with a range of fantastic resources online [here] and [here] – I decided to give it a go this summer. Time for an update!

Lemon-scented Fern *Oreopteris limbosperma* showing ripe spores in the pinnule margins

Gathering Spores

Ferns produce spores at different times of the year, though most seem to be ready between June and September. It’s fairly easy to tell when they’re ripe: in most species, the sporangia curl back or fall off entirely, revealing brown, yellow, or even black dust – the spores. Gathering them is incredibly simple. You can either tap a fertile frond over a paper envelope or collect a small section of the frond; a little goes a long way. If you choose the latter, it’s best to let it dry on some paper for a few hours, after which you’ll notice the spores beginning to fall and gather on the surface.

For this little experiment, I gathered spores from a mix of cultivated plants growing in the garden including Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis, Rustyback Asplenium ceterach, Soft Shield-fern Polystichum setiferum, Scaly Buckler-fern Dryopteris remota, and Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis; as well as a few common wild species growing in public spaces (remember, you need permission to collect even the smallest hint of plant material from private land). In the end, this meant I collected spores from Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis, Borrer’s Male-fern Dryopteris borreri, and Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes too.

Sowing the Spores

Having gathered our spores, it was time to sow them. This, it seems, is the stage you really need to get right. First, you need an airtight container that seals in moisture and provides the humidity required for the spores to germinate (we used a multipack of cheap plastic Tupperware). Secondly, you need a fine, sterilised compost. We opted for a fine seed compost, zapped in the microwave for three minutes to kill any nasties lurking in the soil. Other sources suggest that pouring boiling water through the compost or placing it in the oven works just as well.

With your materials prepared, all that remains is to sprinkle on your spores, give them a good spritz of water, label the container, and replace the lid before leaving it somewhere bright for nature to run its course. In our case, we placed all our containers under fluorescent grow lights used for our houseplants.

Watch and Wait

Next comes the hard part: ignoring your containers until you notice signs of life. I didn’t manage this perfectly, which may explain some of the problems mentioned later in this post. Generally, sources online suggest that different ferns take varying amounts of time before any activity becomes visible. I was pleasantly surprised that after only a month, each of our test containers hosted a fine, green, algae-like film spreading across the soil. This was the first sign that our spores were starting to grow into prothalli.

Beech Fern *Phegopteris connectilis* forming prothalli after one month under supplimentary light

Watch the Prothalli Grow

Eventually, after a variable amount of time depending on the species (around three to four months for most of ours), the initial green, algae-like growth began to transform into the shield-like structures recognisable as prothalli. At this stage, the fern grows its first roots and begins to photosynthesise, and it is also the point at which the all-important fertilisation happens, if you’re successful. To help with this, sources recommend a regular spritz of water to aid cross-fertilisation, something that would normally be provided by rain outdoors but must be administered manually when growing ferns indoors. The photos below show a range of more advanced prothalli.

After some time, these prothalli develop into the sporophyte generation, the form we most closely associate with ferns.

Borrer’s Male-fern *Dryopteris borreri* prothalli

The rather large prothalli of Borrer’s Male-fern *Dryopteris borreri*

Signs of Life

Fast forward to early winter and most of our ferns have now begun transitioning into their sporophyte generation. Some, such as Beech Fern and the larger Dryopteris species, are lagging behind, with only the tiniest hint of their first fronds visible. Others are positively romping away, particularly Brittle Bladder-fern which has already warranted the relocation of larger plants to individual pots (again in sealed containers) for growing on over winter. I have also been impressed with Soft Shield-fern.

As we now have so many young ferns growing in containers, we have broken with the usual advice that recommends leaving sporlings in place until they are large enough to handle. Instead, we have opted to split our batches, leaving some in situ while moving small clumps of prothalli to individual containers to see whether this results in healthier, more vigorous plants. All are being kept under plastic to retain that all-important humidity, but I have already begun removing the lids from larger specimens to gradually accustom them to harsher conditions, with the aim of moving some outdoors come spring.

The images below show various species as of 20 November 2026, which is not bad at all for spores sown in June and July.

Young Brittle Bladder-ferns *Cystopteris fragilis* potted up in Novemeber 2025 (sown in June)

Transplanted Maidenhair Spleenwort *Asplenium trichomanes* with signs of new growth

A Few Problems

While some of our ferns have been successful, others have failed miserably, and in most cases, this is entirely my fault. I mentioned earlier that you should ignore your spores for a prolonged period, something I confess I didn’t do, as too often I found myself opening the pots for a sneaky look. Doing this, it seems I allowed contaminants into the pots, resulting in mould that quickly overtook many of the young plants. We lost most of our Rustyback specimens this way, but I did discover that you can safely move prothalli to another jar, helping to preserve at least some plants.

Not sterilising the soil sufficiently may also have been a problem, as algae and bryophytes appeared in several pots, leading to competition with the young ferns. The greatest problem of all, however, seems to be overcrowding. It is all too easy to sow far too many spores in a single container, and when this happens, the added competition prevents the prothalli from developing properly. This is currently affecting our Dryopteris affinis containers, but I hope it can be remedied by thinning, just as you would with the seedlings of any other plant.

And with that, the first stage of the challenge is complete. I will post an update further down the line as we progress to potting on and eventually planting out. I am optimistic, as the whole process has been far easier and, dare I say it, quicker than I envisaged at the start. If you have ever fancied growing ferns from spores yourself, I would strongly recommend giving it a go. You may find it slightly addictive and end up with more than you can handle, just as we have.

As a quick further update since drafting this post, we ended up sowing spores from a range of other cultivated species, including Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris and Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, as well as some Narrow Male-fern Dryopteris cambrensis gathered from an unassuming Northumbrian roadside. Being more ambitious, I am also attempting to hybridise Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas with Borrer’s Male-fern to create Cryopteris × critica, but we will see how that pans out.

Botany along the Bizzle Burn

Northumberland’s Cheviot Hills have been a major focus of my extracurricular botany outings so far this year. Back in May, we enjoyed a fantastic visit to the Hen Hole and later returned with a group from the Natural History Society of Northumbria for another day of hills, ferns, and mountain flowers. Fast forward a few weeks, and it was time for another trip—this time to a part of the area I’m less familiar with.

The Bizzle Burn is a small waterway that flows down from Bizzle Crags toward Dunsdale in the College Valley. It’s a steep walk, but one that offers plenty for the keen-eyed botanist. The site has drawn attention for centuries due to its rare arctic-alpine flora, interesting ferns, and other botanical gems. This was our second attempt to explore it, having been rained off the hill late last year.

Spoiler – due to an unfortunate phone malfunction, pictures from this trip are somewhat limited. Sadly this included some of the special plants seen during the day. Still, we’ll preserve.

Setting out from our starting point at Cuddystone Hall, the walk to the base of the hill proved highly interesting. Along the path, typical upland grassland species such as Fairy Flax Linum catharticum, Wavy Hair-grass Avenella flexuosa and Wild Thyme Thymus drucei were seen. These are all plants commonly associated with the thin, parched soils of this terrain. On the walls surrounding a farmhouse passed early in the walk, the day’s first ferns made an appearance in the form of Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens and Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria. The Harebells Campanula rotundifolia were also particularly striking along this stretch.

Slightly more unusual species were encountered in a damp rut about halfway along the trail. The vivid flowers of Bog Asphodel Narthecium ossifragum were an immediate draw, and a closer inspection revealed the characteristic leaves of Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia, one of our region’s few carnivorous plants.

Further uphill, a pause to explore the scree slopes yielded a fascinating suite of ferns. The most plentiful was Narrow Male-fern Dryopteris cambrensis, easily recognised by its distinctive wavy pinnae but also recorded were Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas and several young specimens of the quirky Parsley Fern Cryptogramma crispa. A bit of poking around beneath overhangs revealed both Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and Polypody Polypodium vulgare.

At the bridge at the foot of the trail leading up the Bizzle, another overhang held a somewhat desiccated example of what I believe to be Delicate Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes — a relatively rare relative of the more familiar Maidenhair Spleenwort commonly found on garden walls. A few Common Spotted-orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii were also growing nearby, and a look at the riverside gravels revealed an interesting variety of willows. These included Purple Willow Salix purpurea, Osier Salix viminalis, Goat Willow Salix caprea, Eared Willow Salix aurita, and Grey Willow Salix cinerea.

Delicate Maidenhair Spleenwort
*Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes*

Having passed the last vestiges of civilisation, we soon began our walk up the burn, initially passing through heather and areas of acid grassland before following the now stone-dry watercourse the rest of the way. It was tough going in places, and a near miss with a large female Adder certainly livened up proceedings. A few Common Lizards were also spotted along this stretch.

It was around this point that my camera began to malfunction, so photographic evidence is limited. Nevertheless, the plant life in the burn bed was typical for this part of the valley. The montane willowherbs were in full flower, with some attractive examples of Chickweed Willowherb Epilobium alsinifolium found alongside Alpine Willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium and the non-native New Zealand Willowherb Epilobium brunnescens. Also of note was a lingering patch of Pale Forget-me-not Myosotis stolonifera, another local speciality. A suite of species more commonly associated with woodland was also encountered, including Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Wood Crane’s-bill Geranium sylvaticum, and Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella.

Chickweed Willowherb *Epilobium alsinifolium*

Befitting my newfound obsession with ferns, it was the pteridophytes that proved most interesting at these lofty heights. The day’s target species, Northern Buckler-fern Dryopteris expansa, was eventually located after considerable effort tucked among its preferred scree habitat. The diversity of other species present was impressive as well and, in no particular order, included common types such as Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata, Narrow Male-fern Dryopteris cambrensis and Hard-fern Blechnum spicant, along with some altogether scarcer finds: Oak-fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Parsley Fern Cryptogramma crispa, and Borrer’s Male-fern Dryopteris borreri. The latter was a bit of a surprise, as I’ve always associated it with woodland – but who knows!

At the top of the burn, we eventually emerged into a vast, open corrie at the foot of Bizzle Crags. This is where many of the more interesting plants are known to grow, though oddly, we struggled to locate several of the anticipated targets – including Alpine Clubmoss and Fir Clubmoss – and some others were well past their best due to the heat, particularly the Mossy Saxifrage.

That said, Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis was a pleasing find among the scree, and a scramble up to a damp ledge yielded some interesting discoveries, including Butterwort Pinguicula vulgaris and Viviparous Sheep’s-fescue Festuca vivipara. I had considered continuing higher, but by this point, my legs were beginning to protest. The 1970s record of Green Spleenwort will have to wait for another day…

Viviparous Sheep’s-fescue
*Festuca vivipara*

We ended our hike at the corrie, opting not to follow the burn further on this occasion. A walk beyond that point will have to be saved for a cooler day, I think. Still, the descent via a slightly different route added plenty to the plant list and offered some truly stunning views.

In my opinion, this walk isn’t quite as botanically diverse as the Hen Hole, but it’s a beautiful route nonetheless and well worth doing if you find yourself with a day to spare.

Fern of the Week: Beech Fern

For our next plant profile, we’ll take a closer look at one of my favourite ferns – the delicate and beautiful Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis. This is a rather uncommon species in the North East but one which I have been encountering more frequently thanks to my ongoing Big Fern Challenge. Now seemed like a good time for a closer look.

Beech Fern

Phegopteris connectilis

Beech Fern is not a species many of us will encounter regularly – unless you’re lucky enough to live in parts of Scotland or perhaps Wales.

This delicate and attractive fern tends to grow in special habitats, including ancient woodlands dominated by Sessile Oak and on shaded, humid gully sides where base-rich water seeps through. Locally, I have found it in both habitats, though the greatest concentrations are nestled among boulder scree in upland areas or tucked away in permanently damp, humid spots around waterfalls and burns. Beech Fern is known to be intolerant of grazing and is therefore often found in places out of reach of passing sheep or deer.

Surprisingly, it is seldom found under Beech trees as it avoids overly acidic substrates, favouring instead neutral to mildly acidic.

Beech Fern *Phegopteris connectilis* spotted at Hen Hole in the Cheviots

Upon further reading, I discovered that Beech Fern has a rather interesting history. It was first reported by Bobart as far back as 1699, who – using typically lengthy Latin – named it Filix minor Britannica pelliculo pallidore alis inferioribus deorsum spectantius. Quite a mouthful, but the name roughly translates to “a small British fern with pale green fronds and downward-pointing pinnae.” Even today, this description remains remarkably accurate!

The name Phegopteris connectilis is a combination of Greek and Latin terms. Phegopteris comes from the Greek words phegos meaning “Beech” and pteris meaning “fern”, describing a fern associated with beech trees. The specific epithet connectilis is Latin and translates “fastened together”.

Although uncommon in lowland areas, the distribution of Beech Fern is considered stable by the BSBI, with new sites being discovered on the edges of its Scottish and Welsh populations. While it may have declined slightly in England, it can still be found in most of its historic haunts.

Unfurling Beech Fern *Phegopteris connectilis* spotted at Hen Hole in the Cheviots

In terms of its associates, Beech Fern commonly grows alongside Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris in ancient woodland but in the uplands, may often be found alongside Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis on damp ledges, and in scree alongside Mountain Male-fern Dryopteris oreades.

Identification

Phegopteris connectilis is an easy plant to identify. It is a small, rhizomatous species that can form dense, spreading colonies in suitable habitats. Telling it apart from other ferns shouldn’t be a problem if you focus on a few key features.

Firstly, unlike any other British fern, the pinnae are winged – meaning they’re connected to the rachis along their entire length. This is the origin of the specific epithet connectilis.

Secondly, take a close look at the lowest pair of pinnae. These are opposite, backward-facing, and angled at about 90° to each other. They typically stand erect – resembling a pair of rabbit ears!

That’s all there is to it with this one.

Beech Fern *Phegopteris connectilis* at Hareshaw Linn, Northumberland

Distribution

In the North East, Beech Fern is an uncommon species. As the orange dots indicate, it hasn’t been recorded at many of its historic sites since the turn of the millennium.

Nevertheless, the species persists in several locations, with notable clusters in the Kielder and Cheviot areas of Northumberland, as well as in the North Pennines of County Durham. It can also be found along watercourses and in remnants of ancient woodland along the River Tyne, from Haltwhistle to Hexham.

Given the lack of recent records, it seems reasonable to conclude that Beech Fern has been lost from most lowland areas of the region.

Holy Island – 29 June

Hareshaw Linn – 3 July

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Barnard Castle – 10 May

Limestone Country – 24 May

To the Coast – 31 May

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A Few Scarce Ferns – 26 April

An Unusual Escape – 27 April

Woodland Specialists – 5 May

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Adder’s-tongue – 17 April

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Ferns & Horsetails

Lobed Maidenhair SpleenwortAsplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis

Beech FernPhegopteris connectilis

Oak FernGymnocarpium dryopteris

Green SpleenwortAsplenium viride

Brittle Bladder-fernCystopteris fragilis

PolypodyPolypodium vulgare

Hard Shield-fernPolystichum aculeatum

Lemon-scented FernOreopteris limbosperma

Narrow Buckler-fernDryopteris carthusiana

Borrer’s Male-fernDryopteris borreri

Broad Buckler-fernDryopteris dilatata

Hart’s-tongueAsplenium scolopendrium

Hard FernBlechnum spicant

Lady-fernAthyrium filix-femina

Wood HorsetailEquisetum sylvaticum

Wildflowers

Downy CurrantRibes spicatum

Herb-parisParis quadrifolia

Marsh Hawk’s-beardCrepis paludosa

Good-King-HenryBlitum bonus-henricus

BetonyBetonica officinalis

Yellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorum

MoschatelAdoxa moschatellina

Wood Crane’s-billGeranium sylvaticum

SanicleSanicula europaea

Common Cow-wheatMelampyrum pratense

Grasses & Sedges

Wood MelickMelica uniflora

Wood FescueDrymochloa sylvatica

Remote SedgeCarex remota

Pale SedgeCarex pallescens

Wood SedgeCarex sylvatica

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My First Filmy-fern – 19 March

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Asplenium x clermoniae – 26th January

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Woodland Ferns – 17th January

Right Back at It – 23rd January

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Urban Ferns – 16th January

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Fern Biology

Gathering Spores

Sowing the Spores

Watch and Wait

Watch the Prothalli Grow

Signs of Life

A Few Problems

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Beech Fern

Identification

Distribution

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Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis

Beech Fern
Phegopteris connectilis

Oak Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris

Green Spleenwort
Asplenium viride

Brittle Bladder-fern
Cystopteris fragilis

Polypody
Polypodium vulgare

Hard Shield-fern
Polystichum aculeatum

Lemon-scented Fern
Oreopteris limbosperma

Narrow Buckler-fern
Dryopteris carthusiana

Borrer’s Male-fern
Dryopteris borreri

Broad Buckler-fern
Dryopteris dilatata

Hart’s-tongue
Asplenium scolopendrium

Hard Fern
Blechnum spicant

Lady-fern
Athyrium filix-femina

Wood Horsetail
Equisetum sylvaticum

Downy Currant
Ribes spicatum

Herb-paris
Paris quadrifolia

Marsh Hawk’s-beard
Crepis paludosa

Good-King-Henry
Blitum bonus-henricus

Betony
Betonica officinalis

Yellow Pimpernel
Lysimachia nemorum

Moschatel
Adoxa moschatellina

Wood Crane’s-bill
Geranium sylvaticum

Sanicle
Sanicula europaea

Common Cow-wheat
Melampyrum pratense

Wood Melick
Melica uniflora

Wood Fescue
Drymochloa sylvatica

Remote Sedge
Carex remota

Pale Sedge
Carex pallescens

Wood Sedge
Carex sylvatica