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

Genus: Asplenium

The Spleenworts

Asplenium L. Species Plantarum 1 1753

The genus Asplenium is a huge one, with forms ranging from strap-like fronds to extremely finely-cut fronds. Some species have thread-like rhizomes and are high-climbing, while others have erect crowns that may form short trunks. Several genera have traditionally been segregated from Asplenium, including Camptosorus, Phyllitis and Ceterach, but since these all are known to hybridize with other Aspleniums, they would appear to be artificial genera.

Segregates from Asplenium have included:

  • Antigramma
  • Asplenidictyum
  • Boniniella
  • Camptosorus
  • Ceterach
  • Ceterachopsis
  • Diellia
  • Diplora
  • Holodictyum
  • Loxoscaphe
  • Phyllitis
  • Pleurosorus
  • Pleurosoriopsis
  • Schaffneria

    • Many Aspleniums are adapted as epiphytes, either stationary or scandent. Many others are epipetric, sometimes growing in high, dry, inaccessible locations.

    Some species of Asplenium are favorites horticulturally, especially the tropical species A. nidus, A. antiquum and A. bulbifera.

    Most Aspleniums have a chromosome counts based on n=36. Many species have arisen through hybridization, with accompanying polyploidy. Resulting numbers in the main series are n=36, 54, 72, 90, 108, 144, 216 and 288. A. unilaterale has n=40, A. shikokianum has n=85, A. flabellifolium apparently has n=106, and A. cardiophyllum has n=38. Study of the chromosomes has indicated that the central n=36 was derived from hexaploidy from n=12.

    Species of Asplenium (partial list):

    1. Asplenium abscissum (n=36)
    2. Asplenium abyssinicum
    3. Asplenium acuminatum (n=144)
    4. Asplenium adiantum-nigrum (n=72)
    5. Asplenium adulterinum (n=72)
    6. Asplenium aegaeum (n=72)
    7. Asplenium aethiopicum (n=72, 108, 144, 216))
    8. Asplenium affine (n=216)
    9. Asplenium africanum (n=72)
    10. Asplenium akimense (n=72)
    11. Asplenium alatum (n=36)
    12. Asplenium antiquum (n=72)
    13. Asplenium atrosquamosum (n=108)
    14. Asplenium aureum (n=72)
    15. Asplenium auritum (n=72)
    16. Asplenium balearicum (n=72)
    17. Asplenium barteri (n=72)
    18. Asplenium batuense (n=72)
    19. Asplenium billottii (n=72)
    20. Asplenium bipinnatifidum
    21. Asplenium birii (n=144)
    22. Asplenium biscaynianum (n=90?)
    23. Asplenium bourgaei
    24. Asplenium bradleyi (n=72)
    25. Asplenium buettneri (n=144)
    26. Asplenium bulbiferum (n=72)
    27. Asplenium bullatum (n=72)
    28. Asplenium capillipes (n=36)
    29. Asplenium cardiophyllum (n=38)
    30. Asplenium caudatum (n=72)
    31. Asplenium ceterach (n=72)
    32. Asplenium cheilosorum (n=54)
    33. Asplenium cordatum
    34. Asplenium cornutum (n=36)
    35. Asplenium creticum (n=72)
    36. Asplenium crinicaule (n=72)
    37. Asplenium cristatum (n=36, 72)
    38. Asplenium cuneatum (n=72)
    39. Asplenium cuneifolium (n=36)
    40. Asplenium currorii (n=72)
    41. Asplenium curtissii (n=54)
    42. Asplenium dalhousiae (n=36)
    43. Asplenium decorum (n=72)
    44. Asplenium delicatulum
    45. Asplenium dentatum (n=108)
    46. Asplenium dimorphum
    47. Asplenium diplazisorum
    48. Asplenium dolomiticum (n=36)
    49. Asplenium dregeanum (n=72)
    50. Asplenium duale (n=144)
    51. Asplenium ebenoides (n=72)
    52. Asplenium eberlei (n=72)
    53. Asplenium emarginatum (n=72)
    54. Asplenium ensiforme (n=36, 72)
    55. Asplenium erectum (n=36)
    56. Asplenium erosum (n=288)
    57. Asplenium exiguum (n=72)
    58. Asplenium falcatum (n=72)
    59. Asplenium falcinellum
    60. Asplenium fawcettii (n=54)
    61. Asplenium finlaysonianum (n=36)
    62. Asplenium fissum (n=36)
    63. Asplenium flabellifolium (n=106?)
    64. Asplenium flaccidum (n=72)
    65. Asplenium fontanum (n=36)
    66. Asplenium forisiense (n=72)
    67. Asplenium formosum (n=36)
    68. Asplenium fragrans (n=72)
    69. Asplenium friesiorum
    70. Asplenium fugax
    71. Asplenium ghiesbreghtii
    72. Asplenium glandulosoides (n=36)
    73. Asplenium gravesii
    74. Asplenium griffithianum (n=36)
    75. Asplenium halleri (n=72)
    76. Asplenium harrisii (n=72)
    77. Asplenium haussknechtii (n=72)
    78. Asplenium hemionitis (n=36)
    79. Asplenium hemitomum (n=144)
    80. Asplenium heterochroum (n=72)
    81. Asplenium heteroresiliens (n=90)
    82. Asplenium hispanicus (n=36)
    83. Asplenium hookerianum (n=72)
    84. Asplenium hybridum (n=72)
    85. Asplenium hypomelas
    86. Asplenium inaequilaterale (n=36)
    87. Asplenium incisum (n=36)
    88. Asplenium indicum (n=72)
    89. Asplenium jahandiezii (n=36)
    90. Asplenium jamaicense (n=36)
    91. Asplenium japonicum (n=72)
    92. Asplenium javorkeanum (n=36)
    93. Asplenium jaundeense
    94. Asplenium kentuckiense (n=54)
    95. Asplenium kobayashii (n=72)
    96. Asplenium laciniatum (n=72)
    97. Asplenium laetum (n=36)
    98. Asplenium lamprophyllum (n=72)
    99. Asplenium laurentii
    100. Asplenium lepidum (n=72)
    101. Asplenium lindenii (n=36)
    102. Asplenium lobulatum (n=144)
    103. Asplenium longissimum (n=72)
    104. Asplenium lunulatum (n=36)
    105. Asplenium lyallii (n=144)
    106. Asplenium macedonicum (n=72)
    107. Asplenium macrei (n=36)
    108. Asplenium macrophyllum (n=72)
    109. Asplenium majoricum (n=72)
    110. Asplenium makinoi (n=72)
    111. Asplenium mannii
    112. Asplenium marinum (n=36)
    113. Asplenium megalura
    114. Asplenium melanocaulon (n=36)
    115. Asplenium melanopus
    116. Asplenium monanthes (n=54)
    117. Asplenium montanum (n=36)
    118. Asplenium multiforme (n=72)
    119. Asplenium myriophyllum
    120. Asplenium nesioticum (n=36)
    121. Asplenium nidus (n=72)
    122. Asplenium nitidum (n=144)
    123. Asplenium normale (n=72)
    124. Asplenium novae-caledoniae
    125. Asplenium obovatum (n=36)
    126. Asplenium obtusatum (n=72)
    127. Asplenium oligophlebium (n=36)
    128. Asplenium onopteris (n=36)
    129. Asplenium paucijugum (n=144)
    130. Asplenium paucivenosum (n=72)
    131. Asplenium pekinense (n=72)
    132. Asplenium pellucidum (n=72)
    133. Asplenium petrarchae (n=72)
    134. Asplenium phyllitidis (n=72)
    135. Asplenium pinnatifidum (n=72)
    136. Asplenium platyneuron (n=36)
    137. Asplenium plenum (n=144)
    138. Asplenium protensum (n=144)
    139. Asplenium pteropus (n=36)
    140. Asplenium pumilum (n=36)
    141. Asplenium purdieanum
    142. Asplenium radicans (n=72, 144)
    143. Asplenium resiliens (n=54)
    144. Asplenium rhizophyllum (n=36)
    145. Asplenium rhomboideum (n=72)
    146. Asplenium richardii (n=144)
    147. Asplenium ritoense (n=72)
    148. Asplenium ruta-muraria (n=72)
    149. Asplenium rutifolium (n=72)
    150. Asplenium sandersonii (n=72)
    151. Asplenium sarelii (n=72)
    152. Asplenium scalare (n=72)
    153. Asplenium schizocarpa (n=72)
    154. Asplenium scleroprium (n=72)
    155. Asplenium scolopendrium (n=36)
    156. Asplenium scortechinii (n=72)
    157. Asplenium seelosii (n=36)
    158. Asplenium septentrionale (n=72)
    159. Asplenium serra (n=72)
    160. Asplenium serratum (n=72)
    161. Asplenium serricula (n=72)
    162. Asplenium shikokianum (n=85)
    163. Asplenium sintenisii (n=36)
    164. Asplenium splendens (n=72)
    165. Asplenium stuhlmannii (n=144)
    166. Asplenium subaquatile
    167. Asplenium suppositum (n=72)
    168. Asplenium tenerum (n=72)
    169. Asplenium tenuifolium (n=36)
    170. Asplenium theciferum (n=72?)
    171. Asplenium trichomanes (n=72)
    172. Asplenium tripteropus (n=72)
    173. Asplenium unilaterale (n=36, 40, 80)
    174. Asplenium variabile (n=72)
    175. Asplenium varians (n=36, 72)
    176. Asplenium verecundum (n=72)
    177. Asplenium vieillardii (n=72)
    178. Asplenium viride (n=36)
    179. Asplenium viviparum (n=36)
    180. Asplenium wilfordii (n=72)
    181. Asplenium wrightii (n=144)
    182. Asplenium zenkerianum (n=216)

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    This page was last revised on 11-10-1997.