Athyrium
| Athyrium | |
|---|---|
| Athyrium filix-femina | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Polypodiales |
| Suborder: | Aspleniineae |
| Family: | Athyriaceae |
| Genus: | Athyrium Roth |
Athyrium (lady-fern) is a genus of about 180 species of terrestrial ferns, with a cosmopolitan distribution. It is placed in the family Athyriaceae, in the order Polypodiales. Its genus name is from Greek a- ('without') and Latinized Greek thyreos ('shield'), describing its inconspicuous indusium (sorus' covering). The common name "lady fern" refers in particular to the common lady fern, Athyrium filix-femina.
Athyrium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the small angle shades and Sthenopis auratus.