Ferns List |
Maidenhair Family [Adiantaceae] |
Fronds: |
Spores: |
3rd July 2010, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Seaside location under wet over-hanging rocks and sheltered from direct sea spray. |
3rd July 2010, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Last years growth has turned brownish-fawn behind the new growth. |
3rd July 2010, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Hangs downwards. |
3rd July 2010, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Leaves alternate on thin and dark-brown wiry stem. |
16th Sept 2009, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Slightly older leaves have a more stepped lower edge. Thin stem connects a tapered collection of fan-shaped separated leaflets. |
16th Sept 2009, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Likes a moist location. Last years leaves are whitish, older leaves greyish, and newer leaflets greener. |
16th Sept 2009, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
A single leaflet is fan-shaped, in several partial segments, and has radial veins. The tips bulge slightly to accommodate the sori underneath. |
3rd July 2010, Arnside, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Obverse of leaflets. The thin (and at the present time transparent) folded over film on the obverse of the lower edge of each leaflet will eventually mature to a non-transparent brown fold-over which houses the spores. |
Not to be confused with: Maidenhair Spleenwort [another fern]. Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature : The fan-shaped leaflets, drooping downwards.
No relation to : There are a few garden varieties and one other native variety (Adiantum raddianum) of 'Maidenhair Fern' that do not resemble this plant, although they may indeed be of the same Genus, Adiantum. There are 200 species of Genus Adiantum, which obtains the name from the Greek due to the plants ability to shun becoming wetted by water, even though it grows in moist places. A rather rare plant in the UK in the wild, since it's only habitat seems to be limestone rocks by the sea, in particular favouring dripping wet tufa rock. However, some species of Maidenhair Fern are popular as an indoor house plant. The sori are underneath at the tips of the leaflets.
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Adiantum | capillus-veneris | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Adiantaceae |
Adiantum (Maidenhair Fern) |
Maidenhair Family [Adiantaceae] |