Polystichum aculeatum

ESSEX BOTANY AND MYCOLOGY GROUPS

Polystichum aculeatum txt:

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Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth Hard Shield-fern

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Light 5. Wetness 5. pH 7. Fertility 5. Height <60cm. Native.

Native. A medium-sized fern with relatively few, spreading, rather than upright, shiny, dark green, rather leathery and coarsely bipinnately divided fronds that are hardy and persist throughout the winter. It is largely a fern of the northern uplands with a high rainfall, and prefers rocky soils over limestone or crevices on rock faces in moderate shade, but even there it is mostly thinly scattered with few individuals in a colony. In eastern England it is a rare plant of permanently damp, but freely draining, ditch and woodland banks on mildly acid to mildly alkaline but somewhat calcareous soils, occasionally growing on the lime mortar of sheltered walls. The pinnules are sharply pointed with clearly spinose margins, and are only very shortly stalked compared with P. setiferum, and the pinnae get markedly shorter towards the base of the rachis. The lowest pinnules on a pinna are acutely angled at their base and do not have the large distinct forward pointing lobe of P. setiferum. It occurs locally in small numbers in Essex, usually on steep very sheltered moist ditch banks either on the Chalky Boulder Clay or the London Clay. The largest known populations occur in Broakes Wood, Twinstead Wood and along the upper valley of the River Wid. In recent years it has suffered from winter time grazing of the fronds by Muntjac deer. 52 monads.

Post 1930 records:

TL(52)43	495,332	19	Wickham Bonhunt, Wickham Water. 1 plant on shady stream bank. 16 July 1998. Tim Pyner.
TQ(51)58	5685,8143	18	Aveley, Kenningtons, one in small copse. December 2003. Fred Rumsey & Mary Smith.
TQ(51)59	58,91	18	Warley Place, planted (Flora of Essex 1974)
	50788,99274	18	Stapleford Tawney, Hawks(mere)more Spring, 1 small plant on west stream bank. 1982. Ann Brooks & K J Adams.
	542,977	18	Navestock, Heronland Shaw, single plant on stream bank. 1 June 2012. Adrian Knowles.
	596,9900	18	Doddinghurst, c.17 plants, bank of R. Wid. 30 May 2012. Adrian Knowles.
TL(52)50	5226,0383	18	Blake Hall, station platform. Eric Saunders; Ronald M Payne.
	5705,0062	18	Stondon Massey, Courtfield Wood, 5 plants on woodland bank. 26 June 2012. Adrian Knowles.
	5715,0066	18	Stondon Massey, Courtfield Wood, c.11 plants various sizes, along stream bank for c.20m. 21 March 2015. David Dives.
TL(52)52	596,245	19	Easton Lodge, copse nr. Perryfield Lake. D I Chapman; Ronald Payne.
TQ(51)68		18	Basildon, Great Sutton Wood, 1983. 1 plant ditch-side bank. Gone by 1991. Rodney L Cole.
TQ(51)69		18	Thorndon Park, Ronald M Payne.
	6247,9010	18	Thorndon Park South, 1 plant, stream bank. 16 August 1980. K J Adams.
	6278,8950	18	Mill Wood, 3 plants. 16 August 1980. Kenneth J Adams.
	6279,8951	18	Thorndon Country Park South, 1 plant on steep north facing slope of small gorge close to east river bank. 9 April 2010. Mary Smith.
TL(52)60	678,034	18	Writtle, Highlands Park, 1 plant in Lower Belt on stream banl. 28 March 2003. Tim Pyner.
TTL(52)62	6201,2135	19	Great Dumnow C.P., north bank of stream, northern edge of Ash Grove, medium sized plant. 8 April 2015. K.J.Adams
TQ(51)79	725,949	18	Downham, a few plants on overgrown shady stream bank. 9 August 1987. Tim Pyner.
	742,957	18	Runwell, Moorgarden Wood. J. Saunders,
	737,967	18	Runwell, Foxearth Wood. Miss M Needham;; 1 large plant. 1983. Tim Pyner.
	733,968	18	South Hanningfield, Hawk’s Wood. Miss M Needham.
	70,95	18	Ramsden Heath, Meepsehole Wood, several plants on stream bank. 5 January 1986. Tim Pyner.
TQ(51)70	779,036	18	Danbury, Backwarden N.R. 1 plant in marshy area, south end. 4 October 1993. Tim Pyner.
	770,049	18	Danbury Country Park, 1 plant on stream bank. 12 January. 2008. Tim Pyner. Still present, medium sized plant, just below a bridge on west bank 7708,0494. K J Adams. 2013.
TQ(51)71	736,189	19	Bushy Wood, Great Leighs, several plants ditchbank just inside wood, post 1973. K J Adams
	737,188	19	Bushy Wood, Great Leighs, 1 young plant in deep deep near middle of wood, 6 April 1982. K J Adams.
	72,18	19	Great Leighs, Dumney Lane. 12 June 1998. Jeremy J Ison.
	7214,1831	19	Phyllis Currie N.R, 2 medium and 3 small plants, north side of ditch along northern boundary. 21 June 2003. K J Adams and Pauline Cooper.
TL(52)72	74,28-9	19	Beazeley End, nr Cooks Farm and Gainsfield Farm. R J Turner.
	72,22	19	Rayne Village, brick wall, north side of main road, ??? K J Adams (now gone).
	750,208	19	Pickpocket Lane, Black Notley., several plants closely packed bank of ditch, south side of lane,1 April 1959. K J Adams.
	792,312	19	Broakes Wood, c.16 plants in short ditch off pathway to the east. 2010. Tim Pyner et al.
TL(52)80		19	Great Henny, steep roadside bank. M Rickard.
	83,04	19	Hazeleigh?. 1989. Philip Luke.
	83,07	19	Beeleigh, 29 July 1985. Jeremy J Heath & Terri Tarpey.
TL(52)81	86,11	19	Great Totham C.P. , single medium sized plant by Spickets Wood, by Spickets Brook. Essex Botany Group. 28 May 2015..
TL(52)83	834,337	19	Little Maplestead, nr. Seven Acre Wood?. 7 April 1985. Jeremy J Heath, Terri Trpey & Alan Wake.
	836,388	19	Bulmer, bridleway? 17 May 1987. CNHS.
	859,360	19	Twinsteadhall Wood, streamside, very fine. M Rickard.
	855,365	19	Twinstead Green, Church Road, roadside ditch, 26 Mat 1987. Terri Tarpey
	85,37	19	Twinstead Green, 17 May 1987. Bill Chisholm et al.
	852,376	19	Great Henny. ??? on my record card.
	861,359	19	Twinstead Wood, one large 5m sq. clump north east facing bank by the wood. 1989. Jeremy J Ison.
	861,348	19	Cripple Corner, roadside ditch by Kings Farm. M Rickard.
	81,33+	19	Great Maplestead. R J Turner.
TL(52)82	812,266	19	Brookes N.R. 2 clumps on either side of shallow ditch between bridleway and Terry Pightle. 31 March 1995. Jeremy J Ison.
TL(52)84	826,423	19	Belchamp Walter, wood on site of old sand pit (Snugg’s Pit). 1 plant. 1993. Jeremy J Ison.
TL(52)92	922,276	19	Fordstreet, hedgebank nr. Friars Farm. M Rickard. Pteridological Soc.
	96,21	19	Pitchbury Wood. 1981.CNHM.
	966,295	19	Pitchbury Wood, 1 good-sized plant in deep ditch opposite gates to the wood. 22 March 1997. Anne Guiver and Terri Tarpey.
	99,20	19	Roman River Valley. 1980-81. CNHS.
TL(52)93	94,31	19	1982. Alan Wake.; 1987.CNHS.
	949,312	19	Wormingford, 3 sizeable plants in ditch under sycamores on east side of B1508. 14 April 1982. K.J.Adams.
	964,300	19	Great Horkesley, London Road, 1 plant west face of deep ditch. 22 Match 1997. Anne Guiver and Terri Tarpey.
TM(62)01	046,195	19	Fingringhoe Wick N.R. 26 March 1995. K J Adams.
TM(62)12	16,20	19	1984. David R Bain.
	17,21	19	1984. David R Bain.
TM(62)23	20,31	19	single plant, trackside. 1985 & 1997. Russell Leavitt.
	21,30	19	1986. Ian Rose.

Pre 1930 records:

			Chingford, TM
			Walthamstow, F.
			Hedge near Abridge, F.
			Chigwell, C.
			Epping Forest, Ir.
			Hainault Forest, Ir.
			Birchanger. W.G.
			Walden, G.
			Wimbish, G
			Dunmow, G
			Between Dunmow and Chelmsford, G
			Fyfield, O.C.
			Norton Heath, T.M.
			Braintree, W.G.
			Halstead, F & T.B.
			Earl's Colne F.
			Bocking, Edward Forster
			Between Hedingham & Sudbury, E. Varenne.
			Hatfield,W.G.
			Springfield, A.G. & A.W.
			Between Chelmsford & Galleywood, A.G.
			Black Notley, Gough & G.
			Warley, W.H.
			Maldon, W.G.
			Kelvedon, E. Varenne
			Rivenhall, E. Varenne.
			Dedham, frequent, W.C.
			Thorpe, E.C.
			Harwich, N.
			Walton, J.Ge.