| Maidenhair fern | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Polypodiales |
| Family: | Pteridaceae |
| Genus: | Adiantum |
| Species: | A. atroviride
|
| Binomial name | |
| Adiantum atroviride | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Adiantum atroviride, commonly known as maidenhair fern, is a plant in the family Pteridaceae. It is endemic to Australia and occurs in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.[3]
Description[edit]
Adiantum atroviride is a small fern with a short creeping or somewhat erect rhizome with dark brown to black triangular scales. The fronds are about 75 cm (30 in) long, loosely clustered, with shiny black stipes and rachises.[4][5][6]
The laminae are 2- to 4-pinnate, the ultimate divisions are flabellate (fan shaped), up tp 13 mm (0.5 in) long, with shallow lobes on the distal margin. There are between 1 and 7 round to kidney shaped sori on the distal margins, usually at the base of a deep narrow sinus between lobes.[4][5][6]
Taxonomy[edit]
Adiantum atroviride was first described by the Australian botanist Peter Dundas Bostock, and published in Flora of Australia in 1998. Prior to that it was considered to be a variety of A. aethiopicum.
Etymology[edit]
The genus name Adiantum comes from the Ancient Greek adíantos meaning wet, and is a reference to the way the laminae shed water. The species epithet atroviride is from the Latin ater for black, combined with viridis (green), referring to the black stipes and green foliage of the plant.[7]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
This species occurs rarely in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, but is common on the east coast of Australia, from the Torres Strait all the way to southeastern New South Wales. It is a terrestrial fern inhabiting dry to medium dry vine forest and sclerophyll forest on a variety of soils.[4][5][6]
Conservation[edit]
This species is listed by Queensland's Department of Environment and Science as special least concern,[1] a ranking that is unique to Queensland and is placed in between least concern and near threatened.[8] As of 25 January 2024[update], it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Cultivation[edit]
This is a popularly cultivated fern, valued for its ornamental qualities.[4]
Gallery[edit]
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Habit -
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Sori on laminae
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Species profile—Adiantum atroviride". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Adiantum atroviride". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Adiantum atroviride Bostock". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d A.R.Field; C.J.Quinn; F.A.Zich (2020). "Adiantum atroviride". Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes. Australian Tropical Herbarium, Cairns; Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Bostock, Peter D. (2022). "Adiantum atroviride". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "PlantNET - FloraOnline". PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Adiantum atroviride" (PDF). Native Plants Sunshine Coast. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Species lists". Environment, Land and Water | Queensland Government. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
External links[edit]
Data related to Adiantum atroviride at Wikispecies
Media related to Adiantum atroviride at Wikimedia Commons- View a map of historical sightings of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- View images of this species on Flickriver
