Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes

Maidenhair spleenwort, Maidenhair Spleenwort, maidenhair spleenwort

Family: Aspleniaceae · Type: Fern · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Maidenhair spleenwort is a native fern found in the northwestern Klamath Ranges of Del Norte County on rocky habitats at an elevation of 200 meters. This delicate fern produces dark purple-brown shiny stems and forms clustered fronds with intricate, linear leaf blades. Growing 8 to 25 centimeters tall, the fern has narrow stems approximately 0.4 to 0.6 millimeters wide with distinctive dark purple-brown coloration. Its leaves are precisely arranged with 15 to 30 pairs of small, oblong pinnae that are 3 to 6 millimeters long, featuring shallow crenate margins on the upper and distal edges. The fern develops small sori generally 1 to 1.5 millimeters long, with 2 to 4 pairs of spore-producing structures per pinna leaf.

Habitat: On rocks

Elevation: 200 m

Bioregions: nw KR (Del Norte Co.)

California counties: Del Norte

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.