Dryopteris dilatata

{{Short description|Species of fern}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Dryopteris dilatata im weissen moor2.jpg

| image_caption =

| genus = Dryopteris

| species = dilatata

| authority = (Hoffm.) A. Gray

}}

Dryopteris dilatata, the broad buckler-fern,{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17 }} is a robust species of deciduous or semievergreen fern in the family Dryopteridaceae, native to Europe, particularly western and central Europe. In southern Europe, it is mostly found in mountainous regions. It is also found between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.{{Citation |last=Rünk |first=Kai |last2=Zobel |first2=Martin |last3=Zobel |first3=Kristjan |year=2012 |title=Biological Flora of the British Isles: Dryopteris carthusiana, D. dilatata and D. expansa |journal=Journal of Ecology |volume=100 |issue=4 |pages=1039–1063 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.01985.x |name-list-style=amp |doi-access=free }} It grows to {{convert|90|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall by {{convert|120|cm|0|abbr=on}} wide, with dark green tripinnate fronds, the ribs covered in brown scales.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=1405332964|pages=1136}}{{cite web|title=Dryopteris dilatata|url=http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/broad-buckler-fern|publisher=NatureSpot|access-date=13 July 2013}}

The Latin specific epithet dilatata means "spread out".{{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Lorraine |title=RHS Latin for Gardeners |year=2012 |publisher=Mitchell Beazley |location=United Kingdom |isbn=184533731X }}

The species{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Dryopteris dilatata|url=

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/6182/Dryopteris-dilatata/Details | access-date = 3 June 2020}} and the cultivars 'Crispa Whiteside'{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Dryopteris dilatata 'Crispa Whiteside'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/65855/Dryopteris-dilatata-Crispa-Whiteside/Details | access-date = 3 June 2020}} and 'Lepidota Cristata'{{cite web | url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/73733/Dryopteris-dilatata-Lepidota-Cristata/Details

| title = RHS Plantfinder - Dryopteris dilatata ‘Lepidota Cristata’

| access-date = 12 February 2018}}

have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web | url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 34 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 6 February 2018}}