TAXONOMY:British Ferns

Q:What kind of environment is it growing in?	On a wall or cliff	In the open	In a wood	In rock crevices
Q:Is it growing in water?	Yes	No
Q:Does it have dark brown or purplish wiry stalks?	Yes	No
Q:What colour are the fronds?	Bright green	Mid-green	Dark green	Other
Q:What colour are the leaves?	Greyish	Yellowish	Other
Q:What general shape are the fronds?	Simple	Deeply lobed	Pinnate	Other
Q:How pinnate are the fronds?	Once pinnate	Twice pinnate	Thrice pinnate
Q:How symmetrical are the leaflets at the base of the first frond?	Symmetrical	Slightly asymmetrical	Very asymmetrical
Q:What is the texture of the fronds?	Ordinary	Shiny	Filmy	Fleshy
Q:Is it growing on limestone?	Yes	No
Q:How long is the stalk compared with the rest of the frond?	Much shorter	About half	About equal	Longer
Q:How big is the first sub-frond in relation to the others?	Smaller	About equal	Bigger	Much bigger
Q:How many pairs of sub-fronds or leaflets does each frond have?	Fewer than 6	6 - 12	12 - 24	More than 24
Q:How many pairs of leaflets does each sub-frond have?	Fewer than 6	6 - 12	12 - 24	More than 24
Q:What are the edges of the leaflets like?	Smooth	Notched	Lobed	Holly-like
Q:How wide are the leaflets compared to their length?	Wider	About equal	Narrower	Much narrower
Q:Does the frond have the appearance of consisting of three equal sub-fronds?	Yes	No
Q:Is the main stalk bent back at the first sub-frond?	Yes	No
Q:Is it growing near the sea?	Yes	No
Q:How are the sub-fronds arranged?	Opposite	Alternate	Both
Q:Do the spore cases grow on a seperate fertile frond?	Yes	No
Q:Is it growing in a moist environment?	Yes	No
Q:Are the fronds forked repeatedly?	Yes	No
Q:Do the leaflets fall off as the plant ages?	Yes	No
Q:Is the back of the leaflets covered in scales?	Yes	No
Q:How symmetrical are the leaflets at the base of the first sub-frond?	Symmetrical	Slightly asymmetrical	Very asymmetrical
Q:What do the ends of the leaflets look like?	Pointed	Rounded	Square

S:Adiantum capillus-veneris (Maidenhair Fern)	1:1	2:2	3:1	4:12	6:4	9:1	10:1	16:12	19:1	21:2
S:Asplenium marinum (Sea Spleenwort)	1:1	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:1	8:3	9:4	11:1	13:2	14:2	19:1	20:2	21:2
S:Gymnocarpium dryopteris (Oak Fern)	1:2	2:2	3:2	4:12	6:3	7:3	8:1	9:1	10:2	11:4	12:4	13:2	14:2	15:2	16:3	17:1	18:1	20:1	21:2	27:2
S:Gynmocarpium robertianum (Limestone Polypody)	1:2	2:2	3:2	4:12	6:3	7:3	8:1	9:1	10:1	11:4	12:3	13:2	14:2	15:2	16:3	17:2	18:2	20:1	21:2	27:2
S:Cryptogramma crispa (Parsley Fern)	1:2	2:2	3:2	4:12	6:3	7:2	9:1	10:2	11:4	12:3	13:1	15:3	20:2	21:1
S:Polystichum lonchitis (Holly Fern)	1:2	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:1	10:1	11:1	12:1	13:3	14:3	15:4	16:3	20:1	21:2
S:Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort)	1:2	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:1	11:4	13:12	16:1	21:1
S:Hymenophyllum tunbridgense (Filmy Fern)	1:3	2:2	3:2	4:12	6:4	9:3	21:2	22:1	23:1
S:Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort)	1:14	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:1	11:1	13:4	15:3	16:2	20:1	21:2	24:2
S:Asplenium trichomanes (Maidenhair Spleenwort)	1:14	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:1	11:1	13:4	15:2	16:2	20:1	21:2	24:1
S:Asplenium adiantum-nigrum (Black Spleenwort)	1:14	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:3	8:1	9:1	11:23	12:3	13:3	14:23	15:23	16:3	20:3	21:2	26:1
S:Asplenium ruta-muraria (Wall Rue)	1:14	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	9:1	11:23	13:1	14:1	15:12	16:3	19:1	20:2	21:2	26:1
S:Cystopteris fragilis (Bladder Fern)	1:14	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:2	13:2	14:12	15:23	20:1	21:2	26:1
S:Asplenium ceterach (Rusty-back Fern)	1:14	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:4	11:1	16:12	20:2	21:2	25:1	26:1
S:Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern)	1:3	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:234	13:2	14:2	15:1	16:34	20:1	21:1	22:1	26:1	27:2
S:Dryopteris cristata	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:12	13:23	14:2	15:2	16:3	20:1	21:2	22:1	26:12
S:Azolla filiculoides	2:1	3:2	4:4	5:2	6:23	7:1	9:1	23:1
S:Pteridium aquilinum (Braken)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:34	12:3	13:2	14:23	15:1	16:4	20:1	21:2	22:2	26:1	27:1
S:Dryopteris aemula (Hey-scented Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:3	8:2	9:1	11:23	12:3	13:2	14:2	15:2	16:3	20:2	21:2	22:2	26:3	27:12
S:Dryopteris filix-mas (Male Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:12	12:1	13:34	14:2	15:1	16:3	20:3	21:2	22:2	26:1	27:2
S:Dryopteris pseudomas	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:12	12:1	13:34	14:2	15:1	16:3	20:3	21:2	22:2	26:1	27:3
S:Dryopteris dilatata (Buckler Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:3	8:2	9:1	11:1	12:2	13:3	14:3	15:2	16:3	20:1	21:2	26:2	27:1
S:Dryopteris carthusiana (Prickly Buckler Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:3	8:1	9:1	11:3	12:2	13:3	14:2	15:2	16:3	20:1	21:2	26:2	27:1
S:Polystichum setiferum (Shield Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:1	12:1	13:34	14:3	15:2	16:3	20:2	21:2	26:1	27:1
S:Polysctichum aculetatum (Prickly Shield Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:1	12:1	13:34	14:3	15:2	16:3	20:2	21:2	26:1	27:1
S:Polypodium vulgare (Common Polypody)	1:34	2:2	3:2	4:3	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:1	11:2	12:2	13:23	15:1	16:4	20:2	21:2	26:1	27:12
S:Oreopteris limbosperma (Mountain Fern)	1:34	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	10:2	11:1	12:1	13:23	14:2	15:1	16:4	20:1	21:2	26:1	27:2
S:Blechnum spicant (Hard Fern)	1:23	2:2	3:2	4:3	6:3	7:1	8:1	9:1	10:2	11:3	12:1	13:4	16:4	20:1	21:2
S:Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern)	1:34	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:3	7:2	8:1	9:1	11:1	12:1	13:4	15:2	16:3	20:1	21:2	26:1	27:2
S:Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart's Tongue Fern)	1:134	2:2	3:2	4:23	6:1	9:1	11:1	16:4	21:2
