Male fern

Family Dryopteridaceae. Occurs wild in the forest zone of Eurasia and North America.

Hemikryptophyte. Distributed from highlands to the subalpine belt in deciduous and coniferous forests, on mountain pastures and rocky slopes. Grows in shady broad-leaved and mixed coniferous–broadleaf forests on rich, moderately moist soil; in the north often associated with limestones and rocky soils; often found in large numbers of individuals, although it does not form continuous stands. A medicinal and poisonous plant; its rhizome is used (for example for tanning hides and dyeing them yellow). It has a distinctive odor and a sweet, astringent taste. Cultivated as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens. It was from the male fern that our ancestors awaited a fiery flowering on the night of Ivan Kupala, and it was said that the one who saw its flower could discover hidden treasures, the past, and the future. The flower could turn a person invisible, make them rich and happy. The specific epithet "male" is given because of the coarse leaves as opposed to the delicate ones of the lady fern.

A plant up to 100 (from 50 to 150) cm tall with a simple rhizome and overwintering leaves gathered in dense rosettes. Rhizome thick, short, oblique, large. Leaf primordia are gathered in apical buds, and the tightly seated bases of the petioles surround the rhizome. Leaf stalks shorter than the blade (1/4 - ? of its length) and covered with brownish scales. Leaves 20–80 cm long, oblong, dark green, lighter beneath, pinnately compound, with 20–35 pairs of alternate pinnae, deeply pinnately dissected, with crenate margins; the teeth of the 2nd and 3rd order pinnules are not pointed; venation distinct. Sporangia borne along the midrib of each lobe. Indusium kidney-shaped, glabrous, long persistent. Active growth from April to October. Spores mature in the middle zone in July. Transplanting is done in spring, before the start of leaf growth, and in late summer. The plant grows well in considerable shade; it survives in sun but becomes smaller. Requires sufficient soil moisture.