Adiantum capillus-veneris
Common names
European maidenhair
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Tufted, terrestrial fern. Rhizome short-creeping, suberect, branched, to 5 mm diameter; scales concolorous, yellow-brown, with entire margins. Fronds tufted, to 360 mm long. Stipe to 180 mm long, glossy, glabrous, brittle. Lamina 50–200 × 40–150 mm, light green to yellow-green, 2–3-pinnate, deltoid, delicate, membranous. Pinnae rectangular or elliptic; rachis flexuous, wiry. Pinnules ovate to deltoid, shortly stalked throughout, symmetric and cuneate-flabellate or subdimidiate, glabrous; distal margins irregularly and deeply lobed, denticulate when sterile; stalks not articulated; veins red-brown near junction with stalk, otherwise pale. Sori 1–10 along distal margins, 1 or 2 per lobe; soral flaps oblong to subreniform, not or scarcely indented into lamina margin, glabrous. Spores 64 per sporangium pale brown; perine scabrous; largest diameter (43)–48.1–(60) μm.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from the other Adiantum indigenous or naturalised in New Zealand by the ultimate segments flabellate, and stalked centrally, and by the reflexed oblong, entire (without notching) indusia.
Distribution
Naturalised. New Zealand: North Island (Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Bay of Plenty and Wellington).
Habitat
Mostly urban in shaded sites on concrete and mortar or in wasteland on calcareous substrates. Often on shaded clay banks and overhangs—especially on limestone, calcareous sandstone and other marine sourced sedimentary rocks.
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Year naturalised
1981
Origin
subtropical and warm temperate regions
Propagation technique
Easily grown and widely cultivated through the warmer parts of New Zealand. Does best in a lime-enriched, damp soil ins shaded conditions. Often self-establishes, especially on mortar within brick walls and around concrete steps.
Other information
Cultivation
Commonly available from most garden centres and nurseries.
Etymology
adiantum: From the Greek a- ‘without, lacking’ and diantos ‘moistened’, the fronds of this fern are supposed to remain dry after submersion in water
capillus-veneris: From the Latin capillos ‘hair’ and Venus, the goddess of love, meaning Venus’ hair
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Bostock PD. 1998. Adiantaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 248–263. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
Attribution
Fact sheet Prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (Updated 9 March 2014). Description adapted from Bostock (1998).