Cystopteris fragilis

Common name

Brittle Bladder fern

Cystopteris fragilis Brittle Bladder fern

Brittle Bladder fern

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Natural History Museum

Latin names

Class	Pteridopsida
Order	Polypodiales
Family	Athyriaceae
Genus	Cystopteris
Species	fragilis
Alternative Family name	Cystopteridaceae

Geographic details

Habitat	moist shady crevices
Soil type	tolerant
Distribution	Throughout British Isles, rare SE
Native	Yes

General

Plant height	medium
Branched	No
Plant colour	mid-green
Habit	lvs open cluster
Conservation status	not threatened

Leaf details

Separate fertile leaves	No
Leaf shape	elliptic-lanceolate
Pinnae	2-pinnate
Wintergreen	No

Spore details

Spore description	spinulose
homospore	Yes

Rhizome details

Rhizome description	short branching
Rhizome scales	triangular-lanceolate
Rhizome position	creeping

Sori details

Sori shape	ovoid
Sori placement	on lateral veins closer to midrib

Indusium details

indusium present	Yes
indus_shape	ovoid
indusium description	acute or lacerate at apex