European Chain Fern

The European Chain Fern, Woodwardia radicans, is an evergreen fern of the family Blechnaceae that grows to about 1.8 meters tall and 2 meters wide, with arching fronds whose pinnae carry curved, finely toothed segments; the linked, chain-like structures on the underside of the fronds give the fern its common name. It is also called the rooting chainfern for its ability to produce rooting plantlets at the tips of its fronds, a form of vegetative reproduction reflected in its scientific name. It is found mainly in Macaronesia and southwestern Europe, with its range extending to southern Italy and Crete.