This fern looks remarkably like Dryopteris dilatata (Broad Buckler Fern) but is slightly flatter in the appearance of the frond as a whole and it has some red/brown scales on the petiole. The fern is quoted as 3/4 pinnate and the lower pinnules here are nearly 4 pinnate.

This is mostly recorded from north west Scotland and this northern English site represents one of its most southerly sites. There are a few records from Wales but none in Ireland.

Under a rock on the side of great Dunn Fell, Cumbria 16th June 2008

Added on 9th July 2008, updated 16th December 2008, updated 28th March 2010