Knottman’s Fern Guide, Part 4

This one is called Male Fern. ( Dryopteris filix-mas )
It is a common fern of the temperate northern hemisphere.

My blip photo shows the top side ( above ) and the underside ( below ).
On the latter you can see the brown spore cases. These release spores from August to November and these are carried away by the wind to places where they start new plants.

The fronds die down in the winter. I find that they make very attractive garden plants.