Dryopteris dilatata (Hoffm.) A.Gray

broad buckler-fern (Dryopteris dilatata)

Dryopteris dilatata, the broad buckler-fern, 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. It grows to 90 cm (35 in) tall by 120 cm (47 in) wide, with dark green tripinnate fronds, the ribs covered in brown scales.

Source: Wikipedia

Synonyms 45

Aspidium dilatatum, Aspidium dumetorum, Aspidium tanacetifolium, Dryopteris alexeenkoana, Dryopteris austriaca, Lastrea collina, Lastrea dilatata, Lastrea lepidota, Lastrea maculata, Lastrea multiflora, Lophodium collinum, Lophodium glandulosum, Lophodium multiflorum, Nephrodium austriacum, Nephrodium dilatatum, Nephrodium tanacetifolium, Polypodium lanceolata-cristatum, Polystichum dilatatum, Polystichum multiflorum, Polystichum tanacetifolium, Aspidium spinulosum subsp. dilatatum, Aspidium spinulosum subsp. recurvatum, Dryopteris austriaca subsp. dilatata, Dryopteris carthusiana subsp. dilatata, Dryopteris dilatata subsp. alexeenkoana, Dryopteris dilatata subsp. remotiloba, Dryopteris spinulosa subsp. austriaca, Dryopteris spinulosa subsp. dilatata, Nephrodium spinulosum subsp. dilatatum, Polystichum spinulosum subsp. dilatatum, Aspidium dilatatum var. deltoideum, Aspidium dilatatum var. majus, Aspidium dilatatum var. minus, Aspidium dilatatum var. oblongum, Aspidium distans var. chanteriae, Aspidium distans var. oblongum, Aspidium spinulosum var. deltoideum, Aspidium spinulosum var. dilatatum, Aspidium spinulosum var. muticum, Aspidium spinulosum var. oblongum, Dryopteris austriaca var. dilatata, Dryopteris dilatata var. chanteriae, Dryopteris dilatata var. collina, Dryopteris dilatata var. dumetorum, Dryopteris dilatata var. remotiloba

559,865 GBIF occurrences
12,154 iNaturalist observations

Conservation status code

Conservation: status label

Least Concern

Conservation: population trend

Stable

Conservation: year assessed

2017

IUCN Red List page

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/201558/85425018

Habitats

IUCN: population narrative

The population trend is stable and there are no reported declines. It is a common and abundant fern throughout its range.

IUCN: habitat narrative

This species occurs in many different habitats, but D. dilatata is mostly a woodland species, rarely found in the lower alpine belt. It is very shade-tolerant and is most frequent and abundant on acidic soils with pH <5.0, and on well- to poorly-drained substrates with a developed humus layer. The species is present in deciduous and coniferous woodland, hedgerows, ditches, open moorland, rocky slopes, boulder scree and rock fissures. It occurs mostly in habitats with permanently moist but not wet soils. In wet woodlands and mires with high water-tables, D. dilatata grows in raised microhabitats, with better drainage (hummocks) (Hess et al. 1967, Stace 1997, Jonsell 2000, The Botanical Society of the British Isles 2004, Rünk et al. 2012). It can be occasionally found as an epiphyte in mossy tree trunks in damp climates and it is rarely found on masonry (M. Christenhusz pers. comm. 2016).

IUCN: threats narrative

There are major no threats to this species.

IUCN: conservation narrative

There are no conservation actions in place and none seem to be needed. It is found in protected areas throughout its range. It is listed as Least Concern in the United Kingdom (Stroh et al. 2014), and similarly not threatened in any other national Red Lists.

IUCN: rationale

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)EU 28 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)This is a widespread fern species that is locally common and whose population trend is stable. There are no major threats to the species and it is therefore listed as Least Concern.

Dryopteris dilatata (Hoffm.) A.Gray

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