Polystichum aculeatum

{{Speciesbox

| image = Polystichum aculeatum.jpg

| genus = Polystichum

| species = aculeatum

| authority = (L.) Roth

}}

Polystichum aculeatum, the hard shield-fern,{{BSBI 2007 |accessdate=2014-10-17 }} is an evergreen fern native to Europe. It is most abundant in upland regions of the British Isles and western France, where it benefits from the combination of mild winters and moist summers, but also occurs more locally across most of Europe except northern Scandinavia, northern Russia; in the Mediterranean region it is confined to high altitudes. It grows on steep slopes in woodlands. it is sometimes considered an indicator of the presence of ancient woodlands.{{Cite web|last=Rose|first=Francis|title=Indicators of ancient woodland: The use of vascular plants in evaluating ancient woods for nature conservation|url=https://pad.basingstoke.gov.uk/documents/4753/01/02/76/01027625.PDF}}

Description

File:Polystichum aculeatum 01.jpg

File:Jona - Tannertobel IMG 5603.JPG in Tann, Switzerland]]

The glossy dark green fronds are 30–90 cm long, usually drooping downslope, with typically 3–8 fronds on a mature plant. The fronds are stiff and hard-textured, bipinnate (single-pinnate on small, young plants), with the pinnae opposite on the stalk. Each pinna is 3–11 cm long, with a large upward-pointing pinnule at the base, and the other pinnules decreasing in size toward the pinna tip; the pinnules have bristly tips. Individual fronds live for 1.5–2.5 years and remain attached to the rhizome after withering. The round sori occupy two rows on either side of the midrib of each pinnule and are covered by a centrally-attached, umbrella-like indusium with fringed edges. They produce light yellow spores.

Etymology

The Latin specific epithet aculeatum means "bristly".{{cite book | last=Harrison |first=Lorraine | title=RHS Latin for Gardeners | year=2012 |publisher=Mitchell Beazley | location=United Kingdom | isbn=978-1845337315 }}

Uses

Polystichum aculeatum is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/25900/i-Polystichum-aculeatum-i/Details

| title = RHS Plantfinder - Polystichum achuleatum | accessdate = 12 May 2018}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017

| page = 81 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | accessdate = 12 May 2018}}

Distribution

It is found in the counties of Down, Antrim and Londonderry in Ireland,Hackney, P. Ed. 1992. Stewart & Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland. Institute of Irish Studies and The Queen's University of Belfast. throughout the British Isles and Europe except for the northern countries.Welsh Ferns; Hutchinson & Thomas; Seventh edition; 1996 It is found in mountain limestone screes in the Jura and the alps, and on alpine and subalpine limestone cliffs.

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web|url=https://inpn.mnhn.fr/espece/cd_nom/115041/tab/habitats |title= INPN: Habitat of Polystichum aculeatum|publisher=INPN Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel|accessdate=2018-05-21}}

Bensettiti, F., & Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (Paris). 2004. Habitats côtiers. la Documentation française.

}}