Asplenium rhizophyllum L.

Walking Fern

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Walking Fern is a native perennial evergreen fern in the Spleenwort family (Aspleniaceae). It is native to the northern half of Alabama. Walking Fern grows in pockets of soil or moss on cliffs, on ledges, and on boulders of limestone or other basic rocks. Rarely it can be found on the bases of trees or on fallen logs. It is a perennial from a short rhizome. The stem is erect or short creeping with dark brown scales. The fronds (leaves) are linear-deltoid to lanceolate in outline with long tapering tips (often rooting and forming plantlets), entire or with sinuate margins, and sparsely pubescent. The leaves are leathery in texture. The petiole is reddish brown fading to green. The rachis is green. The fronds are monomorphic (sterile and fertile fronds of the same size and shape), but fertile leaves are often larger than sterile ones. Walking Fern reproduces by forming spores in sporangia located on the under surface of the leaf. The sporangia are grouped together in clusters called sori. The sori are covered by a thin flap of tissue known as the indusium. The sori are scattered over the lower surface of the leaf. Walking Fern is very unlike other members of the genus in appearance, and has been placed in the genus Camptosorus. Walking Fern forms hybrids with Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron (Linnaeus) Britton, Sterns & Poggenburg) producing the hybrid Scott's Spleenwort (Asplenium ×ebenoides R.R. Scott); with American Wall Rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria Linnaeus) producing the hybrid Asplenium × inexpectatum E. L. Braun ex C. V. Morton; with Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes Linnaeus) producing the hybrid Asplenium × shawneense (R. C. Moran) H. E. Ballard; and with Mountain Spleenwort (Asplenium montanum Willdenow) producing the hybrid Lobed Spleenwort (Asplenium pinnatifidum Nuttall). Many colonies of Walking Fern have disappeared over the last several decades and several severe droughts have repeatedly struck Alabama.--A. Diamond

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Native

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