Wall-rue - Asplenium ruta-muraria

Small tufted fern, the fronds triangular-ovate in outline and long stalked, Pinnae no more than 5 on each side, yet the lowest is itself pinnate, with up to 5 segments, pinnae quickly decreasing in complexity as you move towards the top. Other features: shape of segments very variable but each is toothed above the middle.

Mortared walls, and rocky places

All year round, spores ripe June to October

Evergreen perennial

Common throughout Britain but less so in the north.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 99 of the 617 tetrads.