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western spleenwort

Scientific Name: Asplenium vespertinum

Family: Aspleniaceae

Category: Fern

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Asplenium vespertinum - Western Spleenwort

Asplenium vespertinum, commonly known as Western Spleenwort, is a species of fern native to specific regions of North America.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Asplenium vespertinum Maxon
  • Common Name: Western Spleenwort
  • Family: Aspleniaceae (Spleenwort Family)
  • Synonym: Asplenium trichomanes var. vespertinum

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to southern California and Baja California.
  • Several native ferns of the Asplenium family are found growing on mortared walls and in rock crevices, preferring surfaces that face south-west.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Perennial herb.
  • Evergreen.
  • Rhizomatous and fibrous-rooted.
  • Rosetted growth habit.
  • Generally less than 20 cm tall.

Quirky Facts

  • Scott's Spleenwort, a related species, was found in a home in the western part of Suffield, Connecticut, indicating the potential for spleenworts to appear in unexpected locations.

Further Information

  • CNPS (California Native Plant Society) Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants.
  • Discover Life website.
  • CalPhotos database.