Pteridium aquilinium

Common name

Bracken

Pteridium aquilinium

© Natural History Museum

Latin names

Class

Pteridopsida

Order

Polypodiales

Family

Dennstaedtiaceae

Genus

Pteridium

Species

aquilinium

Alternative Family name

Hypolepidaceae

Geographic details

Habitat

open areas

Soil type

tolerant

Distribution

Throughout British Isles

Native

Yes

General

Plant height

large

Branched

Yes

Plant colour

grey-green

Rachis description

glabrous

Stipe description

dark at base -> red-brown to green

Habit

upright lvs intermittant

Conservation status

not threatened

Wikimedia Url

https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Pteridium_aquilinum

Leaf details

Separate fertile leaves

No

Leaf shape

oblong-lanceolate to ovate-triangular

Pinnae

2-3-pinnate-pinnatifid

Wintergreen

No

Spore details

Homospore

Yes

Rhizome details

Rhizome description

colonial branched deep

Rhizome scales

lacking, hairs only

Rhizome position

clumping

Sori details

Sori shape

continuous round

Sori place

marginal

Indusium details

Indusium present

Yes

Indusium shape

continuous round pinnule

Indusium description

membranous fringed