Distribution
Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine

Native to: Afghanistan, Albania, Alberta, Algeria, Altay, Arizona, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, British Columbia, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, California, Central European Rus, Chita, Colorado, Corse, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Idaho, Illinois, Iran, Ireland, Irkutsk, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kentucky, Kirgizstan, Kriti, Krym, Maine, Mexico Northeast, Michigan, Montana, Morocco, Netherlands, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Newfoundland, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Norway, Nova Scotia, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Pennsylvania, Poland, Portugal, Québec, Rhode I., Romania, Saskatchewan, Sicilia, South Dakota, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Texas, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Tuva, Ukraine, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Himalaya, West Siberia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Xinjiang, Yakutskiya, Yugoslavia
Introduced into: Argentina South, Chatham Is.

Leaves monomorphic, dying back in winter, 28-120 × 10-30 cm. Petiole less than 1/4 length of leaf, scaly at least at base; scales scattered, brown, of 2 distinct kinds, 1 broad, 1 hairlike (only this species has 2 distinct forms of scales without intermediates). Blade green, ovate-lanceolate, pinnate-pinnatifid to 2-pinnate at base, firm but not leathery, not glandular. Pinnae ± in plane of blade, lanceolate; basal pinnae ovate-lanceolate, much reduced, basal pinnules or segments ± same length as adjacent pinnules, basal basiscopic pinnule and basal acroscopic pinnule equal; pinnule margins serrate to lobed. Sori midway between midvein and margin of segments. Indusia lacking glands. 2 n = 164.