Prickly Shield Fern
Polystichum braunii
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Polypodiopsida
Order
Polypodiales
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Genus
Polystichum
Prickly Shield Fern belongs to the family Dryopteridaceae, order Polypodiales, within the Polypodiopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Prickly Shield Fern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and forest fragmentation in its specialized montane forest environments. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, while its limited dispersal ability and specific habitat requirements make populations particularly vulnerable to local extinctions.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Cool, moist montane and boreal forests, typically growing on rocky slopes, forest floors, and shaded ravines in coniferous and mixed deciduous-coniferous woodlands. The species requires consistently humid microclimates and is often found near streams or in areas with reliable moisture retention.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Prickly Shield Fern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and forest fragmentation in its specialized montane forest environments. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, while its limited dispersal ability and specific habitat requirements make populations particularly vulnerable to local extinctions.
Climate change altering temperature and moisture regimes
Forest fragmentation reducing population connectivity
Habitat loss from logging and deforestation
Limited dispersal ability restricting recolonization
Small population sizes increasing extinction risk
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Prickly Shield Fern (Polystichum braunii). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/prickly-shield-fern