Bird's nest spleenwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bird's nest spleenwort |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Asplenium
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| Species: |
serratum
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The bird's nest spleenwort (also known as Asplenium serratum) is a special type of fern. People also call it the wild birdnest fern or New World birdnest fern. It gets its name because its leaves can look a bit like a bird's nest. This fern is found in the New World, which means the Americas.
Where This Fern Lives
This interesting fern naturally grows in warm, tropical places. You can find it in Brazil, the islands of the Caribbean, and in Florida in the southeastern United States.
However, the bird's nest spleenwort is quite rare in central and southern Florida. Because there are so few of them, it is listed as an endangered species in that state. This means it's a plant that needs protection so it doesn't disappear.
How This Fern Grows
The Asplenium serratum fern has a unique way of growing. It can be an epiphyte or a lithophyte.
- An epiphyte is a plant that grows on other plants, like tree trunks, but it doesn't harm them. It just uses them for support.
- A lithophyte is a plant that grows on rocks.
So, you might see this fern growing on tree trunks, old rotting stumps, fallen logs, or even on eroded limestone rocks. It gets its water and nutrients from the air and rain, not from the soil.
Learn More
In Spanish: Asplenium serratum para niños
