Asplenium scolopendrium
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| Asplenium scolopendrium | ||||||||||||||
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| Asplenium scolopendrium L. |
Asplenium scolopendrium (syn. Phyllitis scolopendrium, Hart's-tongue Fern) is a fern in the genus Asplenium. The species, with its close relative Asplenium sagittatum, is sometimes placed in the segregate genus Phyllitis. Asplenium scolopendrium is a common species in Europe, but in North America occurs as rare, widely scattered populations that are sometimes given varietal status, A. scolopendrium var. americanum. Morphological differences are minor but the North American populations are tetraploid, whereas those occurring in Europe are diploid. Another variety occurs in southern Mexico and Hispaniola, A. scolopendrium var. lindenii.
The plants are unusual in being ferns with simple, undivided fronds. The leaves are 10-60 cm long and 3-6 cm broad, with sori arranged in rows perpendicular to the rachis. The plants grow on neutral and lime-rich substrates, including moist soil and damp crevices in old walls, most commonly in shaded situations but occasionally in full sun; plants in full sun are usually stunted and yellowish in colour, while those in full shade are dark green and luxuriant. The tongue-shaped leaves have given rise to the common name "Hart's tongue fern". The sori pattern is reminiscent of a centipede's legs, and scolopendrium is Latin for "centipede".
Asplenium scolopendrium can form hybrids with other Asplenium species, including those species sometimes classified in the separate genus Camptosorus, one reason why both Phyllitis and Camptosorus are included in Asplenium by some pteridologists. A recent phylogenetic study of Aspleniaceae (Murakami et al. 1999) suggests that A. scolopendrium is only distantly related to other Asplenium species and that the genus Phyllitis should be recognized.
[edit] Cultivation and uses
Asplenium scolopendrium is often grown as an ornamental plant, with several cultivars selected with varying frond form, including with frilled frond margins, forked fronds and cristate forms. The American populations are reputed to be difficult to cultivate, and most, if not all, cultivated plants are derived from European forms.
This fern had use in folk medicine as a spleen tonic.
[edit] References
- Flora Europaea: Asplenium scolopendrium
- Flora of North America: Asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum
- Hyde, H. A., Wade, A. E., & Harrison, S. G. (1978). Welsh Ferns. National Museum of Wales. ISBN 0-7200-0210-9.
- Murakami, N., S. Nogami, M. Watanabe, K. Iwatsuki. 1999. Phylogeny of Aspleniaceae inferred from rbcL nucleotide sequences. American Fern Journal 89: 232-243.
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 A cultivar with frilled frond margins |
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