Dryopteris villarii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Division:	Polypodiophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Polypodiales
Suborder:	Polypodiineae
Family:	Dryopteridaceae
Genus:	Dryopteris
Species:	D. villarii
Binomial name
Dryopteris villarii (Bellardi) Woyn. ex Schinz & Thell.
Synonyms [1]
Nephrodium villarii (Bellardi) Beck. Polypodium villarii (Bellardi)

Dryopteris villarii, commonly known as the rigid buckler fern, ^[2] is a perennial leptosporangiate fern native to Central and South East Europe as well as the Western Caucasus. It was first described in 1915. ^[1]

Description

Dryopteris villarii typically reaches heights around 30 to 60 cm. ^[3] The rigid, leathery fronds are of a matt glaucous to dark green colour, with scaly reddish petioles and rachis. ^{[4] [5]} Fronds may present tufted, erect or spreading. ^[5] The short bipinnate leaflets are slightly dentate and narrowly oblong- lanceolate, attenuating closer to the base, with yellowish aromatic glands on either side. ^{[3] [4] [5]} Rhizomes are far creeping and adventitious, horizontal to ascending. ^[5] Sori between 0.7 mm to 1 mm, usually with glandular indusium and arranged in two rows along the midrib, usually four to six per row. They do not cover the apex. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Distribution

Dryopteris villarii appears within dolomite and limestone pavements, scree, cliffsides, rocky outcrops, scrub and non-alpine and non-saline grasslands. ^{[5] [6]} It is found between 500 m to 2000 m. ^[4] It is tolerant of any soil type although prefers alkaline. ^[6]

Gallery

References