Soft shield fern

Polystichum setiferum

The soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum) is a luxuriant fern with basal, overlaping 1 meter length shapes with mossy mound appearance. These big fronds have an scaly stalk and a two times cut blade ending in stalked linear lanceolate pinnules. The pinnule near the rachis is bigger, like a thumb. The round, small sori grow on the reverse of the blades.

The soft shield fern is rare in Bages where it is found only in humid ravines, in the pre-litoral mountains range of Montserrat and Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac. On the other hand, it’s quite frequent in the shadows of the coastal range in Collserola.

[photos Jordi Badia]