Polystichum setiferum (Forssk.) T.Moore ex Woyn.
soft shield fern
Rhizomes short, erect, bearing weak and often ± prostrate fronds. Stipes to 12 cm long, densely scaly; scales broad, uniformly pale orange-brown. Rachises covered in narrower scales, bearing bulbils at junctions with primary pinnae throughout. Laminae narrowly ovate or narrowly triangular, 2-3-pinnate at base, to 60 × 20 cm. Primary pinnae in 40 or more pairs, narrowly ovate, to 11 × 2.5 cm. Secondary pinnae in 15-25 pairs on longest primary pinnae, stalked, ± elliptic but with a large basal acroscopic lobe; apices drawn out into long fine points; margins deeply incised or divided into 2-3 pairs of tertiary pinnae. Sori round, protected by uniformly pale brown peltate indusia.
N.: S. Auckland (Hamilton).
Europe 1981
Waste ground in shade.
The N.Z. plant is the cv. 'Divisilobum pulcherrimum' of the European sp.; it is commonly grown in gardens and occasionally escapes. Soft shield fern is easily recognised by its prostrate, finely divided fronds, and numerous bulbils all the way up the rachis (Fig. 5).
