Explore West Dunbartonshire

SOFT SHIELD FERN : Polystichum setiferum

This fern has distinctive fronds which are soft-textured, bipinnate (single-pinnate on small, young plants), with the pinnae opposite on the stalk. The photos below illustrate quite what this means. 

Note the sub-fronds alternating along the main frond stems and the soft raggedness of the "leaves".

WIKIPEDIA : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystichum_setiferum#:~:text=Polystichum%20setiferum%2C%20the%20soft%20shield%20fern%2C%20is%20an,The%20Latin%20specific%20epithet%20setiferum%20means%20%E2%80%9Cwith%20bristles%E2%80%9D.