Ferns: Clubmosses, Quillworts and Horsetails of Britain and Ireland

by James Merryweather

Overview

The only comprehensive photographic guide to the ferns, clubmosses, quillworts and horsetails of Britain

This is a comprehensive, lavishly illustrated and user-friendly photographic identification guide to the fifty-seven ferns and seventeen other pteridophytes that occur in Britain. It is the perfect companion for botanists, naturalists, professional ecologists and anyone else with an interest in this fascinating group of non-flowering vascular plants. Designed to appeal to beginners and experts alike, this authoritative book includes novel identification keys and comparison tables that have been carefully devised to present only essential, easily understood technical terms and descriptions, avoiding jargon as much as possible. Cross-referenced throughout to facilitate the comparison of similar species, this definitive field guide is the go-to source for identifying these species with confidence.

• Features hundreds of stunning colour photographs
• Comprehensive coverage of Britain's 57 species of ferns, 6 clubmosses, 3 quillworts and 8 horsetails
• Includes novel, easy-to-use, jargon-free identification keys and comparison tables
• Beautifully designed, user-friendly and accessible

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691180397
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	07/14/2020
Series:	WILDGuides , #26
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.87(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

James Merryweather has been studying ferns for more than fifty years, developing a particular interest in their identification and ecology. Having learned so much from generous pteridologists past and present, he now eagerly shares that knowledge and experience with others. He is an enthusiastic member of the British Pteridological Society, which promotes the study of this fascinating group of plants.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

What is a pteridophyte 8

How to use this book 10

Glossary 12

Pteridophyte identification

Introduction 14

Look-alikes 15

The four groups 16

Atypical ferns 19

Identification Keys

Clubmosses 20

Horsetails 22

Quillworts 26

Ferns 27

Guide to Families

Lycopodiaceae | Clubmosses; Selaginellaceae | Spikemosses 48

Isoetaceae | Quillworts 51

Equisetaceae | Horsetails 52

Ophioglossaceae | Adder's-tongues & Moonworts 58

Osmundaceae | Royal Fern 60

Marsileaceae | Pillwort 61

Hymenophyllaceae | Filmy-ferns 62

Polypodiaceae | Polypodies 64

Pteridaceae | Maidenhair, Jersey & Parsley Ferns 71

Dennstaedtiaceae | Bracken 72

Cystopteridaceae | Oak & Bladder-ferns 75

Aspleniaceae | Spleenworts 77

Woodsiaceae | Woodsias 80

Athyriaceae | Lady-ferns 80

Thelypteridaceae | Marsh & Beech Ferns 82

Blechnaceae | Hard-fern 83

Dryopteridaceae | Shield-, Male- & Buckler-ferns 84

The Species Accounts

Clubmosses 98

Quillworts 110

Horsetails 114

Ferns 132

All-year-round pteridology 256

Juvenile ferns 260

Urban ferns 263

Variation in pteridophytes 265

Non-native and nuisance pteridophytes 270

Further reading and references 275

Resources and submitting records 277

Acknowledgements and photographic credits 278

Index of English and scientific names 279

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“If only we had had books like this when we were starting out all those years ago. I, for one, with no botanical training, had to learn all the jargon and there was so little detail, like how to tell the plants apart from each other. Both these fundamentals are well covered in the book, and I cannot see how it could be improved. It is such a leap forward, and I hope it gets the attention it sorely deserves.”—Pat Acock, British Pteridological Society

Editorial Reviews

Winner of the Presidents’ Award, Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland and Wild Flower Society

From the Publisher