Hard shield-fern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hard shield-fern |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Polystichum
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| Species: |
aculeatum
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The Polystichum aculeatum, also known as the hard shield-fern, is a type of fern that stays green all year. It grows naturally in Europe. You can find lots of these ferns in the hilly parts of the British Isles and western France. They love places with mild winters and wet summers.
This fern also grows in other parts of Europe, but not in northern Scandinavia or northern Russia. In warmer areas like the Mediterranean region, it only grows high up in the mountains. You'll often spot it on steep slopes in forests.
The leaves of the hard shield-fern are called fronds. They are shiny and dark green. These fronds can be from 30 to 90 centimeters long. They usually hang downwards, following the slope of the ground. A grown fern typically has about 3 to 8 fronds.
These fronds feel stiff and hard. They are "bipinnate," which means they are divided twice. Think of a main stem with smaller stems coming off it, and even smaller leaf parts (pinnules) growing from those. On young ferns, the fronds are only divided once. Each smaller stem (pinna) is 3 to 11 centimeters long. It has a larger leaf part pointing upwards at its base. The other leaf parts get smaller towards the tip. All these small leaf parts have tiny, bristly tips.
Each frond lives for about 1.5 to 2.5 years. Even after they dry up, they stay attached to the plant's underground stem, called a rhizome. The fern makes round spore cases, called sori. These sori grow in two rows on each side of the middle vein of the small leaf parts. They are covered by a tiny, umbrella-like shield with fringed edges. These spore cases produce light yellow spores, which are like tiny seeds that help the fern reproduce.
The second part of the fern's scientific name, aculeatum, comes from Latin. It means "bristly," which describes the tips of its leaf parts.
People also grow the hard shield-fern in their gardens. It's a popular ornamental plant. It has even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. This award means it's a great plant for gardens.
Where Does It Grow?
The hard shield-fern is found across the British Isles and most of Europe. However, it does not grow in the very northern countries. In Ireland, you can find it in counties like Down, Antrim, and Londonderry.
It also grows in mountain areas. You can see it on limestone slopes in places like the Jura and the Alps. It likes rocky cliffs both high up in the mountains and in areas just below the highest peaks.
