Rustyback - Ceterach officinarum

Fronds 3-20 cm long. Back of frond covered with rust-coloured scales. Spores in elliptical bundles along the veins, hidden by the scales. The leaves are thick, leathery and persist through the winter. They are almost, but not wholly, pinnately divided.

Limestone rocks, rock crevices and stone walls, particularly mortared walls.

All year round.

It is drought resistant and will curl its fronds inwards so that only the brownish surface is visible.

Found mainly in southern Britain, particularly the south-west.

Occasional in Leicestershire & Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 13 of the 617 tetrads.

It is on the local VC55 Rare Plant Register