Limestone Fern

Common Name: Limestone Fern

Latin Name: Gymnocarpium robertianum

Family: Woodsiaceae (Lady-fern family)

The limestone fern is a species of oak fern. Its 3-pinnate leaves are rolled into a ball when young and then unravel to up to 50cm long later in the summer. In the British Isles the limestone fern has a localised distribution in England and Wales and is rare and very scattered in Scotland. It can be found on open and partly shaded scree-slopes or other rocky places on limestone. In the Yorkshire Dales National Park it is quite frequent on limestone pavement and scree habitats where the sheep and rabbit grazing levels are not too high or where cattle grazing has been adopted.