On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:26:49 +0100, "Rhiannon_s"
wrote:

Silly question here, sorry.

Is there any real difference between a japanese holly fern and a dwarf holly
fern or is it just the size they grow to? The leaves on both look pretty
much the same.
Thanks in advance

Not a silly question!

I know more about brain surgery than I do about ferns, but I do have a
book..... The Holly fern is Polystichum lonchitis, with narrow pinnate
fronds, stiff, almost imbricate, linear-lanceolate, deep green and a
somewhat glossy, while the Japanese holly fern is Cyrtomium falcatum,
with fronds oblong-lanceolate, pinnate, glossy dark green.

Which tells me that they they're definitely different (but not a lot
more! I'm no botanist), but whether different enough for your
interest, only you can decide. Judging by the diagrams, the fronds of
HF are more finely cut that those of the JHF.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net