This page's list covers the ferns and allies (Lycopodiopsida, Equisetopsida and Pteridopsida) found in Great Britain and Ireland. For the background to this list see parent article List of the vascular plants of Britain and Ireland.
Class Lycopodiopsida
Order Lycopodiales Family Lycopodiaceae (clubmosses) English name Scientific name Status Alpine clubmoss Diphasiastrum alpinum Native Issler's clubmoss Diphasiastrum × issleri Native Fir clubmoss Huperzia selago Native Stag's-horn clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum Native Hare's-foot clubmoss Lycopodium lagopus Native Marsh clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata Native Interrupted clubmoss Spinulum annotinum Native
Order Selaginellales Family Selaginellaceae (spikemosses) English name Scientific name Status Krauss's clubmoss Selaginella kraussiana Introduced Lesser clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides Native
Order Isoetales Family Isoetaceae (quillworts)
English name Scientific name Status Spring quillwort Isoetes echinospora Native Land quillwort Isoetes histrix Native Quillwort Isoetes lacustris Native
Class Polypodiopsida (ferns) Order Equisetales Family Equisetaceae (horsetails) English name Scientific name Status Field horsetail Equisetum arvense Native Water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile Native Rough horsetail Equisetum hyemale Native Marsh horsetail Equisetum palustre Native Shady horsetail Equisetum pratense Native Branched horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum Introduced Wood horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum Native Great horsetail Equisetum telmateia Native Variegated horsetail Equisetum variegatum Native
Order Ophioglossales Family Ophioglossaceae (adder's-tongues) English name Scientific name Status Moonwort Botrychium lunaria Native Small adder's-tongue Ophioglossum azoricum Native Least adder's-tongue Ophioglossum lusitanicum Native Southern adder's-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum Native
Order Osmundales Family Osmundaceae (royal ferns) English name Scientific name Status Royal fern Osmunda regalis Native
Order Polypodiales (polypod ferns, cathetogyrates) Family Pteridaceae (maidenhair fern family) English name Scientific name Status Maidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris Native Parsley fern Cryptogramma crispa Native Ribbon fern Pteris cretica Introduced
Family Hymenophyllaceae (filmy ferns, bristle ferns) English name Scientific name Status Tunbridge filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense Native Wilson's filmy-fern Hymenophyllum wilsonii Native Killarney fern Vandenboschia speciosa Native
Family Polypodiaceae English name Scientific name Status Southern polypody Polypodium cambricum Native Intermediate polypody Polypodium interjectum Native Polypody Polypodium vulgare Native Kangaroo fern Zealandia pustulata Introduced
Family Dennstaedtiaceae (bracken family) English name Scientific name Status Bracken Pteridium aquilinum Native Pig fern Hypolepis ambigua Naturalised
Family Thelypteridaceae (marsh ferns) English name Scientific name Status Beech fern Phegopteris connectilis Native Lemon-scented fern Thelypteris limbosperma Native Marsh fern Thelypteris palustris Native
Family Aspleniaceae (spleenworts) English name Scientific name Status Black spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum Native Rustyback Asplenium ceterach Native Sea spleenwort Asplenium marinum Native Lanceolate spleenwort Asplenium obovatum Native Irish spleenwort Asplenium onopteris Native Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria Native Hart's-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium Native Forked spleenwort Asplenium septentrionale Native Maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes Native Green spleenwort Asplenium viride Native
Family Woodsiaceae (cliff ferns) English name Scientific name Status Alpine lady-fern Athyrium distentifolium Native Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina Native Newman's lady-fern Athyrium flexile Native Dickie's bladder-fern Cystopteris dickieana Native Brittle bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis Native Mountain bladder-fern Cystopteris montana Native Oak fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris Native Limestone fern Gymnocarpium robertianum Native Ostrich fern Matteuccia struthiopteris Introduced Sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis Introduced Alpine woodsia Woodsia alpina Native Oblong woodsia Woodsia ilvensis Native
Family Dryopteridaceae (wood ferns) English name Scientific name Status House holly-fern Cyrtomium falcatum Introduced Hay-scented buckler-fern Dryopteris aemula Native Scaly male-fern Dryopteris affinis Native Narrow buckler-fern Dryopteris carthusiana Native Crested buckler-fern Dryopteris cristata Native Broad buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata Native Northern buckler-fern Dryopteris expansa Native Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas Native Rigid buckler-fern Dryopteris mindshelkensis Native Mountain male-fern Dryopteris oreades Native Scaly buckler-fern Dryopteris remota Extinct Hard shield fern Polystichum aculeatum Native Holly fern Polystichum lonchitis Native Soft shield fern Polystichum setiferum Native
Order Salviniales Family Marsileaceae (pepperworts) English name Scientific name Status Pillwort Pilularia globulifera Native
Family Salviniaceae English name Scientific name Status Water fern Azolla filiculoides Introduced
Order Cyatheales (tree ferns etc.) Family Dicksoniaceae English name Scientific name Status Australian tree-fern Dicksonia antarctica Introduced
Family Blechnaceae English name Scientific name Status Chilean hard-fern Parablechnum cordatum Introduced Hard-fern Struthiopteris spicant Native
See also
Notes Jersey fern (Anogramma leptophylla) is present in the Channel Islands as a native species, but does not occur in Britain or Ireland. Irish spleenwort (Asplenium onopteris) is native only to Ireland; it is represented in Britain only by an introduced population in North Wales.
External links