Asplenium flaccidum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Asplenium flaccidum |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Asplenium
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flaccidum
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Asplenium flaccidum is a type of fern often called the drooping spleenwort or weeping spleenwort. Its scientific name, flaccidum, comes from a Latin word meaning "drooping," which describes how its leaves hang down. This fern belongs to the family called Aspleniaceae. You can find Asplenium flaccidum growing in places like the Nothofagus-Podocarp forests on New Zealand's North Island. It often grows alongside other ferns, such as the crown fern.
About the Drooping Spleenwort
The drooping spleenwort is known for its long, narrow leaves that can look a bit like straps. These leaves often droop or hang, which is how the fern got its common name. It likes to grow in damp, shady places, often on tree trunks or rocks in forests.
How Scientists Group Ferns
Scientists like to group living things to understand how they are related. This is called taxonomy. In 2020, scientists studied the Asplenium group of ferns from all over the world. They found that this large group could be divided into eleven smaller groups, called "clades."
Asplenium flaccidum is part of a group that scientists call the "Neottopteris clade." Ferns in this group usually have leaves that feel a bit leathery. Asplenium flaccidum is closely related to two other ferns: A. appendiculatum and A. chathamense.
