Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta (Filicophyta)
Class: Pteridopsida (Filicopsida)
Subclass: Filicinae
Order: Aspleniales
Family: Aspleniaceae
Genus: Asplenium

Asplenium montanum

Common name: mountain spleenwort

The mountain spleenwort is probably our most beautiful native Asplenium. The fronds are dark-green and finely cut, somewhat like the wall-rue, A. ruta-muraria, but much more elaborate.

This fern is only found in small pockets of hard, highly-weathered sandstone, usually in hard-to-reach places. It prefers high, cool places.

The mountain spleenwort has hybridized extensively with other Aspleniums. Bradley's spleenwort, A. bradleyii, arose as a hybrid between this and A. platyneuron. The pinnatifid spleenwort, A. pinnatifidum, arose as a hybrid between this and the walking fern, A. rhizophyllum.

This plant is almost impossible to grow in a garden.

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This page was last revised on 11-20-1997.