Asplenium ceterach

• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Description

Family Aspleniaceae

Plants terrestrial , on rock, or rarely epiphytic. Stems erect or nearly erect, rarely long-creeping, scaly . Steles radially symmetric or dorsiventral (with structurally distinct abaxial and adaxial aspects ) dictyosteles. Leaves monomorphic , rarely almost dimorphic with fertile leaves taller and more erect than sterile ones. Petioles with 1 vascular bundle X-shaped in cross section or with 2 vascular bundles back to back and C-shaped. Blades extremely diverse , simple to 4-pinnate, commonly with tiny glandular hairs and a few linear scales , rarely with spreading hairs. Veins free to anastomosing. Sori borne on veins, ± lunate to linear . Indusia usually present, shape conforming to sorus and originating along 1 side of sorus. Sporangia with stalk of 1 row of cells , annulus vertical , interrupted by sporangial stalk. Spores monolete; perispore typically winged , spiny , reticulate , or perforate . Gametophytes surficial , green, cordate.

Genera 1, species ca. 700 (1 genus, 28 species, and 3 nothospecies in the flora ) : worldwide.

Members of this family can usually be identified by the combination of clathrate stem scales and indusiate linear sori. Supporting anatomic characteristics include the two vascular bundles in the petiole that unite distally in the petiole to form an X-shaped petiolar strand , and the single row of cells in the sporangial stalk. The scales consist of cells with dark, thick, radial walls and clear, thin, tangential walls, giving the scales a clathrate (latticelike) appearance reminiscent of lead moldings between plates of stained glass.

As construed here, Aspleniaceae comprise a single, huge, extremely diverse genus, Asplenium . A satisfactory taxonomic division into subgenera or satellite genera has not been possible because of the absence of any significant gaps . Various segregates have been proposed (e.g. , Camptosorus, Phyllitis, Ceterach, Pleurosorus ), but numerous "intergeneric" hybrids occur.

The members of Asplenium are popular with plant evolutionists, field naturalists, and fern gardeners, not only because of the interesting morphology of the plants but also because of their remarkable ability to form spectacular hybrids, often combining dramatically different leaf shapes. In North America, 23 diploid hybrids and allopolyploids have been recorded. At least two of these hybrid combinations occur as both sterile diploids and their fertile allotetraploid derivatives. Only those hybrids that are reproductively competent (through vigorous clone-forming by root proliferations or apogamy, or rarely through sexual reproduction) are treated in the key and fully described below.

Only about two-fifths of the reproductively competent species are believed to be cladistically divergent species; the other three-fifths are of hybrid origin (allopolyploids) . For two of the allotetraploids, sterile diploids of the same parentage are also known. The most unusual allopolyploid phytogeographically is Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, the parents of which are known only in the Old World. These reticulate relationships are summarized in the reticulogram.

Polyploidy is widespread in Asplenium, and the chromosome numbers vary from 2 x to 6 x . Two species, Asplenium trichomanes and A . heterochroum, occur in different levels of polyploidy---2 x and 4 x, and 4 x and 6 x, respectively. The highest chromosome number known for Asplenium in North America is 2 n = 216 (in A . trichomanes-dentatum and the hexaploid form of A . heterochroum ) . The only three apogamous taxa are A . monanthes (3 x ), A . resiliens (3 x ), and A . × heteroresiliens (5 x ) .[1]

Genus Asplenium

Roots fibrous , not proliferous or proliferous and producing tiny plantlets . Stems erect , rarely long-creeping; scales basally attached, clathrate. Petioles not articulate . Blades 1--4-pinnate, of diverse size and shape . Indusia present. x = 36.

Species ca. 700 (28 species, 3 nothosp: worldwide.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,478 meters (0 to 4,849 feet).[3]

Biology

Growth

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Taxonomy

Synonyms

Ceterach ceterach (L.) Huth • Ceterach officinarum Willd.

Similar Species

Members of the genus Asplenium

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 165 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

A. abscissum (Abscised Spleenwort) · A. acuminatum (Taper-Tip Spleenwort) · A. adiantum-nigrum (Black Spleenwort) · A. adiantum-nigrum woronowii (Black Spleenwort) · A. adulterinum (Ladder Spleenwort) · A. aethiopicum (Egyptian Spleenwort) · A. alternifolium (Alternateleaf Spleenwort) · A. auriculatum (Tree-Trunk Spleenwort) · A. auritum (Auricled Spleenwort) · A. auritum Sw. var. auritum Sw. (Eared Spleenwort) · A. auritum Sw. var. bipinnatifidum Kunze (Eared Spleenwort) · A. auritum var. auritum (Eared Spleenwort) · A. auritum var. bipinnatifidum (Eared Spleenwort) · A. australasicum (Birds Nest Fern) · A. australasicum forma australasicum (Bird´s-Nest Fern) · A. australasicum f. robinsonii (Bird´s-Nest Fern) · A. biscaynianum (Biscayne Spleenwort) · A. boydstoniae (Boydston's Spleenwort) · A. bradleyi (Bradley's Spleenwort) · A. bulbiferum (Hen and Chickens Fern) · A. caudatum (Speenwort) · A. ceterach (Rusty-Back Fern) · A. cirrhatum (Chestnut Scale Spleenwort) · A. clermontiae (Clermont's Spleenwort) · A. contiguum (Forest Spleenwort) · A. contiguum Kaulf. var. contiguum Kaulf. (Forest Spleenwort) · A. contiguum Kaulf. var. hirtulum C.Chr. (Forest Spleenwort) · A. contiguum var. contiguum (Forest Spleenwort) · A. contiguum var. hirtulum (Forest Spleenwort) · A. corderoanum (Rio Abajo Spleenwort) · A. cristatum (Parsley Spleenwort) · A. cuneatum (Wedge-Leaf Spleenwort) · A. curtissii (Curtiss' Spleenwort) · A. dalhousiae (Countess Dalhousie's Spleenwort) · A. densum (Dense Spleenwort) · A. ebenoides (Dragon Tails Fern) · A. enatum (Queen Spleenwort) · A. esculentum (Vegetable Fern) · A. exiguum (Little Spleenwort) · A. feei (Fee's Spleenwort) · A. flabellifolium (Necklace Fern) · A. flabellulatum (Latin American Spleenwort) · A. flaccidum (Weeping Spleenwort) · A. flaccidum flaccidum (Weeping Spleenwort) · A. formosum (Showy Spleenwort) · A. goudeyi (Birds Nest Fern) · A. gravesii (Graves' Spleenwort) · A. haleakalense (Haleakala Spleenwort) · A. herb-wagneri (Herb's Spleenwort) · A. heterochroum (Bicolored Spleenwort) · A. heteroresiliens (Resilient Spleenwort) · A. hobdyi (Hobdy's Spleenwort) · A. horridum (Lacy Spleenwort) · A. inexpectatum (Spleenwort) · A. insiticium (Royal Spleenwort) · A. juglandifolium (Walnut Spleenwort) · A. kaulfussii (Kaulfuss Spleenwort) · A. kentuckiense (Kentucky Spleenwort) · A. laetum (Brownstem Spleenwort) · A. lobulatum (Piipiilau Manamana) · A. macraei (Macrae's Spleenwort) · A. monanthes (Single-Sorus Spleenwort) · A. montanum (Mountain Spleenwort) · A. morganii (Morgan's Spleenwort) · A. myriophyllum (Limestone Spleenwort) · A. neobrackenridgei (Neobrackenridge's Spleenwort) · A. nidus (Bird's Nest Fern) · A. nidus var. plicatum (Bird's Nest Fern) · A. nidus 'Antiquum' (Japanese Birds Nest) · A. nidus 'Osaka' (Osaka Bird's Nest Fern) · A. nidus 'Ruffled' (Ruffled Birds Nest Fern) · A. nodosum (Nodeless Danafern) · A. normale (Rainforest Spleenwort) · A. oblongifolium (Shining Spleenwort) · A. obtusatum (Shore Spleenwort) · A. obtusifolium (Bluntleaf Spleenwort) · A. ocoense (Rockledge Spleenwort) · A. palmeri (Palmer Spleenwort) · A. patens (Spreading Spleenwort) · A. pinnatifidum (Lobed Spleenwort) · A. platyneuron (Ebony Spleenwort) · A. platyneuron var. bacculum-rubrum (Ebony Spleenwort) · A. platyneuron var. platyneuron (Ebony Spleenwort) · A. platyneuron var. proliferum (Ebony Spleenwort) · A. plenum (Ruffled Spleenwort) · A. polyodon (Petako) · A. polyodon G.Forst. var. knudsenii (Hbd.) Morton (Knudsen's Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon G.Forst. var. nitidulum (Skottsb.) Morton (Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon G.Forst. var. sectum (Hbd.) Morton (Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon G.Forst. var. subcaudatum (Skottsb.) Morton (Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon var. knudsenii (Knudsen's Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon var. nitidulum (Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon var. sectum (Birdnest Fern) · A. polyodon var. subcaudatum (Birdnest Fern) · A. pseudoerectum (Antilles Spleenwort) · A. pteropus (West Indian Spleenwort) · A. pumilum (Dwarf Spleenwort) · A. radicans (Dullgreen Spleenwort) · A. resiliens (Black-Stem Spleenwort) · A. rhizophyllum (Walking Fern)

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Further Reading

• A survey and record of Woolwich and West Kent containing descriptions and records, brought up-to-date, of geology, botany, zoology, archaeology and industries of the district, with a brief photographic commentary, in commemoration of the 12th Ann General editors, C.H. Grinling, T.A. Ingram [and] B.C. Polkinghorne. Woolwich: Labour Representation Print. Co., 1909. url p. 189.
• A tour round North Wales, performed during the summer of 1798; containing not only the description and local history of the ocuntry but also, a sketch of the history of the Welsh bards; and essay on the language; observations on the manners and customs; and the h illus. with views in aquatinta by Alken. London: E. Williams, 1800. url p. 430.
• An illustrated dictionary of medicine, biology and allied sciences. .. by George M. Gould. 5th ed., with additions and corrections. PhiladelphiaP. Blakiston's Son1907 url p. 1328, p. 143.
• An illustrated encyclopaedia of gardening, by Walter P. Wright London, J. M. Dent & sons, ltd.; url p. 69.
• Botanical notes at Barton & Mildenhall, Suffolk / by Sir Charles J.F. Bunbury; edited by his wife. Mildenhall: Printed by S.R. Simpson, 1889 url p. 195.
• British ferns and their varieties / by Charles T. Druery. Illustrated with 40 coloured plates, 96 nature prints, and 319 wood cuts and other illustrations. London: E. P. Dutton and Co., [1912?] url .
• British ferns and their varieties, London, E. P. Dutton and Co.[1912] url .
• Flora of Derbyshire: flowering plants, higher cryptogams, mosses and hepatics, Characeae. London, Bemrose & Sons Ltd., 1903. url .
• Flowerless plants: how and where they grow, London, Cassell and Co., Ltd., 1913. url .
• Historia filicum an exposition of the nature, number and organography of ferns, and review of the principles upon which genera are founded, and the systems of classification of the principal authors, with a new genera With 30 lithographic plates by W.H. Fitch; by John Smith. London: Macmillan, 1875. url p. 317.
• Historia filicum; an exposition of the nature, number and organography of ferns, and review of the principles upon which genera are founded, and the systems of classification of the principal authors, with a new genera London, Macmillan, 1875. url .
• How to know the ferns / by S. Leonard Bastin. London: Methuen & Co., [1917] url p. 77.
• Memoirs and proceedings of the Manchester Literary & Philosophical Society. Manchester: The Society, 1888-1980. url p. 8.
• Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 4 1907 Edinburgh: H. M. Stationery Off. url p. 137, p. 41, p. 48.
• Our native ferns, or, A history of the British species and their varieties / by E.J. Lowe. London: Groombridge, 1865-1867. url p. 2.
• Our native ferns; or, A history of the British species and their varieties. By E.J. Lowe. London, Groombridge, 1865-67. url p. 2.
• Popular botany; the living plant from seed to fruit, by A.E. Knight and Edward Step. .. New York: H. Holt and company, [1913] url p. 246, p. 246, p. 249, p. 249.
• Proceedings of the South London Entomological & Natural History Society. London [Eng]: South London Entomological and Natural history Society, [1897-1933] url p. 98.
• Some account of the fauna and flora of Sinai, Petra, and Wa?dy 'Arabah, London, Pub. for the Committee of the Palestine exploration fund by A. P. Watt, 1891. url , .
• The Annals of Scottish natural history. Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1892-1911. url p. 38.
• The Gaelic names of plants (Scottish, Irish, and Manx), collected and arranged in scientific order, with notes on their etymology, uses, plant superstitions, etc., among the Celts, with copious Gaeli Glasgow, J. Mackay, 1900. url .
• The Gardeners' chronicle: a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects. London: [Gardeners Chronicle], 1874-1955. url p. 53.
• The Naturalist. 1894 [Doncaster: Yorkshire Naturalists' Union], 1874- url p. 267.
• The Victoria history of the county of Derby / edited by William Page. London[Constable]1905- url p. 44.
• The encyclopedia of gardening. A dictionary of cultivated plants, etc., giving in alphabetical sequence the culture and propagation of hardy and half-hardy plants, trees and shrubs, orchids, ferns, fruit, vegetables, hothouse and g London, W. H. & L. Collingridge[1908] url .
• The fern paradise: a plea for the culture of ferns / by Francis George Heath. London: The Country Press, 1905. url p. 366, p. 392.
• The natural history of Pliny. London, H. G. Bohn, 1855-57. url p. 168, p. 228.
• The natural history of Pliny. Tr., with copious notes and illustrations, by the late John Bostock and H. T. Riley. London, H. G. Bohn, 1855-57. url p. 228.
• The transactions of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union. Leeds [etc.] url p. 263.
• Transactions of the Natural History Society of Glasgow. Glasgow, The Society. url p. 275.
• Wayside and woodland ferns; a pocket guide to the British ferns, horsetails and clubmosses. London: Warne, 1922. url .
• Where to find ferns: with a special chapter on The ferns round London. / By Francis George Heath. London: E. & J. B. Young & co., 1885. url p. 139, p. 141, p. 142, p. 144, p. 145, p. 73, p. iv.
• Gastony, G. J. 1986. Electrophoretic evidence for the origin of a fern species by unreduced spores. Amer. J. Bot. 73: 1563--1569.
• Kramer, K. U. and R. Viane. 1990. Aspleniaceae. In: K. Kubitzki et al., eds. 1990+. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. 1+ vol. Berlin etc. Vol. 1, pp. 52--56.
• Reichstein, T. 1981. Hybrids in European Aspleniaceae (Pteridophyta). Bot. Helv. 91: 89--139.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 16, 2007:

• Biologiezentrum der Oberoesterreichischen Landesmuseen, Biologiezentrum Linz
• Bundesamt für Naturschutz / Zentralstelle für Phytodiversität Deutschland, Bundesamt fuer Naturschutz / Zentralstelle fuer Phytodiversitaet Deutschland
• European Environment Agency, EUNIS
• GBIF-Spain, CIBIO, Alicante:ABH-GBIF
• GBIF-Spain, Dirección General de Investigación, Desarrollo Tecnológico e Innovación de la Junta de Extremadura(DGIDTI): HSS
• GBIF-Spain, Herbario Universidad de Málaga: MGC-Cormófitos
• GBIF-Spain, Jardi Botanic de Valencia: VAL
• GBIF-Spain, Real Jardin Botanico
• , Vascular Plant Herbarium
• GBIF-Spain, Univ. Herbarium SALAMANCA: SALA
• GBIF-Spain, Universidad de Almería, HUAL
• GBIF-Spain, Universidad de Oviedo. Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas: FCO
• GBIF-Spain, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Bilbao: Herbario BIO
• Herbario SANT, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, SANT herbarium vascular plant collection
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Lund Botanical Museum
• inatura - Erlebnis Naturschau Dornbirn, inatura - Erlebnis Naturschau Dornbirn

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2677075
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-616715
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13750091
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:20010316-1
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 20009692
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 497396

Footnotes

1. Wagner, Warren H. Jr., Robbin C. Moran, and Charles R. Werth "Aspleniaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. Warren H. Wagner Jr., Robbin C. Moran, Charles R. Werth "Asplenium". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
3. Mean = 207.100 meters (679.462 feet), Standard Deviation = 255.590 based on 3,798 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.