Monitoring methods for Killarney Fern (Trichomanes speciosum Willd.) in Ireland

Trichomanes speciosum Willd is categorised as rare and vulnerable in Ireland and is listed under Annex II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora). T. speciosum, commonly known as the Killarney Fern or Bristle Fern, belongs to the Filmy Fern family (Hymenophyllaceae) and is the only European representative of the genus Trichomanes. T. speciosum is most abundant in the Azores, outside of which it is most frequently found in Ireland and Britain.