Common nameBracken Pteridium aquilinium © Natural History Museum Latin names ClassPteridopsida OrderPolypodiales FamilyDennstaedtiaceae GenusPteridium Speciesaquilinium Alternative Family nameHypolepidaceae Geographic details Habitatopen areas Soil typetolerant DistributionThroughout British Isles NativeYes General Plant heightlarge BranchedYes Plant colourgrey-green Rachis descriptionglabrous Stipe descriptiondark at base -> red-brown to green Habitupright lvs intermittant Conservation statusnot threatened Wikimedia Urlhttps://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Pteridium_aquilinum Leaf details Separate fertile leavesNo Leaf shapeoblong-lanceolate to ovate-triangular Pinnae2-3-pinnate-pinnatifid WintergreenNo Spore details HomosporeYes Rhizome details Rhizome descriptioncolonial branched deep Rhizome scaleslacking, hairs only Rhizome positionclumping Sori details Sori shapecontinuous round Sori placemarginal Indusium details Indusium presentYes Indusium shapecontinuous round pinnule Indusium descriptionmembranous fringed