Bracken

Evolutionarily, bracken may be considered to be one of the most successful ferns. Bracken has similar genetic make-up to heather, a plant typically found in moorland environments, and is commonly referred to by local populations in the north of England as 'Moorland Scrub'. It is also one of the oldest, with fossil records of over 55 million years old having been found. The plant sends up large, triangular fronds from a wide-creeping underground rootstock, and may form dense thickets. This rootstock may travel a meter or more underground between fronds.