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NZ Plants
Asplenium flaccidum - makawe, hanging spleenwort
Spleenwort family: Aspleniaceae
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Plant, frond divided two times into leaflets
L Jensen
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Plant, fronds divided one time into leaflets
L Jensen
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Frond
I MacDonald
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Frond upper surface, midrib (rachis) with leaflets
I MacDonald
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Leaflets, upper surface
L Jensen
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Frond rachis with scale
L Jensen
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Fertile leaflets, lower surface with sori
I MacDonald
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Fertile leaflet with sorus containing open sporangia
L Jensen
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Asplenium flaccidum is a very common but variable fern rarely found on the ground, preferring trunks of tree ferns and other trees. Its thick and leathery hanging fronds and arboreal habitat distinguish it from other species of Asplenium.
Widely distributed in lowland to subalpine areas throughout New Zealand
Vegetative characteristics |
Fertile frond and sporangia |
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Plant form: short, erect rhizome with 100-300 mm fronds (occasionally greater) |
Frond appearance: similar to sterile frond |
Frond stalk, midrib: scales linear with filamentous tip |
Sporangium location: on lower frond surface |
Frond shape: lanceolate to elliptic |
Sporangium position: close to leaflet margin |
Frond blade: 1-2-pinnate (divided 1-2x into leaflets or pinnae |
Sporangia distribution: in groups (sori) |
Frond surface: leathery, hairless |
Sorus shape: linear |
Leaflets: variable, oblong to linear and from blunt to sharp tipped |
Sorus covering: linear covering (indusium) opening toward midrib |
