The Wood Ferns
The ferns of this group, not counting the small fragrant fern, prefer the woods or at least shady places. Although the genus Polýstichum represents the true shield ferns, the wood ferns are also thus designated, as their indusia have nearly the shape of small, roundish shields. The old generic name for them all was Aspídium (meaning shield), first published in 1800. For a long time its chief rival was Nephròdium (kidney-like), 1803. Many modern botanists have preferred the earlier name Dryópteris (1763), meaning oak fern, alluding, perhaps, to its forest-loving habits. THELÝPTERIS, still earlier (1762), may supersede the others.