English name: Male-Fern
Gaelic name: Marc-raineach

Atlas of Ferns:
Pre 1950 record: NG41, 54.
Post 1950 records: NG15, 24-26, 42, 44, 45, 50, 53, 60, 62, 72.

British Pteridophyte Records:
BPS Bulletin Volume 2, Number 1, (1979): NG54 C. W. Murray.
The Fern Gazette Volume 12, Part 5, (1983): NG33, 43, 46, 61 C. W. Murray, NG71 M. McCallum Webster.

Botanist in Skye: Recorded in all hectads.

New Atlas:
1950-1969: NG14, 15, 23, 26, 32, 44.
1970-1986: NG24, 33, 43, 46.
1987-1999: Recorded in all other hectads.

NOTE: Any records prior to 1950 must be treated as the aggregate species as prior to that date D. affinis was not treated as a separate species but only as a variety of D. filix-mas.

Altitude distribution on Skye
Minimum: 15m.
Maximum: 400m.

Dryopteris filix-mas is a common and widespread species although rarely found above 300m. Dryopteris dilatata is its most constant companion but Athyrium filix-femina, Oreopteris limbosperma, Blechnum spicant and Pteridium aquilinum are also found with it in woodlands. In Rodwell (ed.) (1991, 1992) it occurs in the W9, W11a, W11b, W17a, W25, W25a, U4a and U17b communities. In Birks (1973) it occurs in Alnus glutinosa woods and the Betula pubescens-Cirsium heterophyllum, Betula pubescens-Vaccinium myrtillus, Calluna vulgaris-Sieglingia decumbens, Corylus avellana-Oxalis acetosella, Fraxinus excelsior-Brachypodium sylvaticum, Luzula sylvatica-Silene dioica, Luzula sylvatica-Vaccinium myrtillus, Sedum rosea-Alchemilla glabra and Vaccineto-Callunetum hepaticosum Associations.

NOTE: Hybrids between Dryopteris affinis and D. filix-mas have been recorded on the Island, see D. x complexa for details.