Dryopteris arguta

A woodland fern that is native from S. Cal to Washington. Wood Fern normally grows on north slopes and/or shady creeks. I've seen it as an understory plant to Quercus chrysolepsis, Quercus agrifolia, Umbellularia californica, Acer macrophyllum, and even Heteromeles arbutifolia. . oak woodland, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, north slope, in shade of oaks, with elderberries, Toxicodendron diversilobum, Symphoricarpos albus, clay soil, fairly undisturbed site in thick leaf mulch, no alien species present, very shady, with very few understory plants. Common on north slopes in much to the coastal area.