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Asplenium plenum - Ruffled Spleenwort

Asplenium plenum, commonly known as Ruffled Spleenwort, is a fern belonging to the Aspleniaceae family.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Asplenium plenum E.P. St. John ex Small
• Common Name: Ruffled Spleenwort
• Family: Aspleniaceae (spleenworts)
• Genus: Asplenium L. (spleenworts)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Synonyms/Alternative Scientific Names: Asplenium x plenum, Asplenium pocsii Pichi-Serm.

Distribution and Habitat

• One source specifies that Asplenium cirrhatum or Chestnut Scale Spleenwort's floral region is Puerto Rico. However, the distribution of Asplenium plenum is not explicitly stated here.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Roots are described as proliferous.
• Stems are erect and unbranched with blackish scales.
• One description notes a form with ruffled tops and serrated edges to the fronds. Another specifies plants with strongly ruffled leaf margins.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Ruffled Spleenwort is mentioned in relation to a hybrid with Curtiss' Spleenwort, resulting in another rare hybrid form.
• Foliar nematodes (Aphelenchoides fragariae) can affect ferns, including cultivars like 'Fluffy Ruffles'.

Considerations for Pets

• The text references that the genus name "Asplenium" and common name "spleenwort" historically refer to their curative properties, however the text does not specify if the properties are helpful, harmful, or potentially dangerous for pets.

Quirky Facts

• The common name "spleenwort" is derived from the historical belief that these ferns possessed medicinal properties related to the spleen.

Further Information

• Discover Life offers a page dedicated to the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Asplenium plenum.
• FLAS (likely referring to the herbarium at the University of Florida) has specimens of Asplenium x plenum (ruffled spleenwort) cataloged (e.g., FLAS P 551, FL05636).