| Athyrium filix-femina | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Polypodiales |
| Suborder: | Aspleniineae |
| Family: | Athyriaceae |
| Genus: | Athyrium |
| Species: | A. filix-femina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Athyrium filix-femina | |
Athyrium filix-femina, the lady fern or common lady-fern, is a large, feathery species of fern native to temperate Asia, Europe, North Africa, Canada and the US.[1] It is often abundant (one of the more common ferns) in damp, shady woodland environments and is often grown for decoration.
Its common names "lady fern" and "female fern" refer to how its reproductive structures (sori) are concealed in an inconspicuous – deemed "female" – manner on the frond.[2] Alternatively, it is said to be feminine because of its elegant and graceful appearance.[3][4]
- ^ "Athyrium filix-femina". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
- ^ University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, Lady-fern profile Archived 2013-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Wayside and Woodland Blossoms (1895) by Edward Step: "the Male-fern – so-called by our fathers owing to its robust habit as compared with the tender grace of one they called Lady-fern."
- ^ Piirainen, Mikko; Piirainen, Pirkko; Vainio, Hannele (1999). Kotimaan luonnonkasvit [Native wild plants] (in Finnish). Porvoo, Finland: WSOY. p. 30. ISBN 951-0-23001-4.