“ THE SPLEENWORT FAMILY ” JENNIFER RINGGOLD Aspleniaceae.

“THE SPLEENWORT FAMILY ”

JENNIFER RINGGOLD

Aspleniaceae

Aspleniaceae

1-3 genera700 species of fernsHuge house plantsSimple, pinnate, bipinnate

or even tripinnateEpiphytes or lithophytes or

terrestrial(under the right temperate conditions) Meaning they grow upon other

plant, buildings, and or rocks.

Contain linear sori and flap-like indusium

A sorus (plural: sori) is a cluster of sporangia.

Indusium: a film like tissue that makes a cover to protect the sori

Drypoteris cristata (Crested Wood-Fern)

Habitat: Wet meadows, cedar/spruce forested wetlands, or open shrubby wetlands Soils are high in organic material

Fertile leaves dying back in winter while the sterile leaves (several & small), green through

winter, forming a “rosette”.

Athyrium filix-femina (Lady-Fern)

1 to 3 feet Non-flowering Part shade to full shade, and damp

woodland Low maintenance= great house plant Rhizomes and young fronds are

poisonous but edible after cooking

References

Murakami, N., S. Nogami, M. Watanabe, K. Iwatsuki. 1999. Phylogeny of Aspleniaceae inferred from rbcL nucleotide sequences. American Fern Journal 89: 232-243

www.forestryimages.org Wikipedia contributors. “Spori." Wikipedia, The Free

Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Mar. 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2010.

"Aspleniaceae." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 26 Apr. 2010 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/39036/Aspleniaceae>.