| Botanical Name | Pteridium aquilinum |
| Other names | Eagle fern; Adelaarsvaring (Afrikaans) |
| | Dennstaedtiaceae |
| Dimensions | Leaves reach 1,5m |
| Description of Stem | Underground stem covered in reddish hairs; the stems tend to branch, allowing the plant to spread and invade extended areas |
| Description of Leaves | Fernlike, glossy green and hard to the touch; spores under the leaves become a conspicuous powder brown-red powder; leaves die off after some months whilst new leaves emerge in favourable circumstances light green, soft and hairy |
| Description of flowers | |
| Desciption of seed/fruit | |
| Description of roots | |
| Variation | |
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| Propagation and Cultivation | A problem plant on farms |
| Tolerances | |
| Uses | |
| Ecological rarity | Invades grasslands in mountainous areas and where land has been cleared of bush |
| Pests and Diseases | |
| Other | Has been known to poison livestock, especially horses; a weed in East Africa; dry leaves highly flammable |
| Location | High rainfall areas, mountainous terrain |
| Distribution | Common throughout Southern Africa |
| Country | South Africa |