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Parsley fern

Parsley fern ©Dr Malcolm Storey

Parsley fern

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Scientific name: Cryptogramma crispa
Parsley fern lives up to its name - the pale green fronds form in clusters among rocks and look just like parsley. Look out for it in upland areas, particularly in Wales and Cumbria.

Top facts

Stats

Height: 40cm

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

January to December

About

Parsley fern is a medium-sized, bushy fern of rocky places on hillsides and slopes in the uplands. It is widespread, but generally quite scarce, apart from in Snowdonia and the Lake District.

What to look for

Parsley fern has pale green fronds that form clustered tufts. It grows two different kinds of leaves: the spore-producing, fertile fronds, which have narrow, oval leaf sections; and the sterile fronds, which look just like Parsley.

Where to find

Found in the uplands of northern England, Scotland and Wales.

Did you know?

Globally, there are about 12,000 species of fern which, unlike mosses, are vascular plants so have special tissues to carry nutrients and fluids. However, they are similar to mosses in the way they reproduce using spores.