Scaly Male Fern - Dryopteris affinis subsp. borreri
Favourite Photos
Species Description
Stace 4:
Ssp. borreri (Newman) Fraser-Jenk. (D. borreri (Newman) Newman ex Oberh. & Travel, D. affinis ssp. stilluppensis (Sabr.) Fraser-Jenk., D. tavelii Rothm., D. woynarii auct. non Rothm., D. lacunosa S. Jess., Zenner, Chr. Stark & Bujnoch, D. robusta (Oberh. & Tavel ex Fraser-Jenk.) P.D. Sell).
Closest to D. filix-mass, with scarcely shiny leaves with moderately densely light-golden-scaly petioles, with lowest pinnae >1/2 as long as longest; pinnae parallel-sided for proximal half but uneven due to various-lengthed pinnules; pinnules at least on proximal part of leaf with truncate apex often with a large acute tooth on each 'shoulder' and well-toothed sides, and the lowest with a large basal lobe; 2n=123. Throughout British Isles; the most widely distributed ssp. and the only one in much of South East England. Distinct in its truncate pinnules but less golden-scaly than the other 3 sssp.