Cystopteris fragilis Brittle Bladder-fern

A small, rather delicate fern, usually with a lanceolate shape made up of finely divided, fragile fronds borne on a dark-coloured stalk. It is widespread in the uplands of Wales, northern England and Scotland, usually growing on calcareous rock, including mortar on walls. Unless you are familiar with this species it can be misidenfied easily for small juvenile forms of other species. The young spore-producing bodies (sporangia) underneath the pinna have a characteristic flask shape with a conspicuous, drawn-out peak. It is rare in West Glamorgan where it has been recorded in the Dulais Valley and Craig y Llyn but there have been few recent records.

Native