Asplenium appendiculatum subsp. maritimum
Common names
coastal spleenwort
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Rhizome short, erect, bearing dark brown subulate scales up to 15 × 2 mm. Stipes 50–150 mm long, brown below, green above, covered in subulate to narrowly triangular scales with long filiform apices. Laminae relatively short and broad, elliptic, 100–250 × 70–200 mm, dark green, leathery or very thick and fleshy, slightly stiff and upright, bi- to tripinnate. Raches green, scaly, prominently ridged. Pinnae 7–15 pairs, those at the base ovate, those above very narrowly ovate, acute, stalked, 30–100 × 5–30 mm, covered on underside in tiny scales. Pinnules: upper pinnules linear, acute, entire and sessile; lower pinnules ovate to elliptic and pinnatifid, up to 20 × 10 mm. Sori submarginal, 2–7 mm long.
Similar taxa
Differs from Asplenium flaccidum G.Forst. by its strict terrestrial growth habit, being octoploid (2n = 288) rather than tetraploid (2n = 144) and by having a more or less erect frond and a larger spore size. It can be distinguished from A. haurakiense (Brownsey) Ogle by its allopatric distribution, and by the lack of a greatly elongated basal acroscopic pinnule on each pinna. Asplenium appendiculatum (Labill.) C.Presl subsp. appendiculatum differs from subsp. maritimum by its preference for inland habitats, somewhat larger, lanceolate to elliptic fronds which tend to droop, more pinnae pairs, with those at the base ovate, and those above very narrowly ovate or elliptic, often with long relatively undivided acuminate tips; and by the lower pinnules being larger, and narrowly elliptic and pinnatifid to pinnate.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (mainly around Cook Strait but known as far north as the Waitakere coastline, west of Auckland), South Island (as far south as Banks Peninsula and Kahurangi Point).
Habitat
Coastal. Usually on exposed cliffs and rocks subject to salt spray, or amongst coastal scrub.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Asplenium terrestre subsp. maritimum Brownsey; Asplenium flaccidum var. littoralis Dobbie
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Propagation technique
Easily grown. A very attractive fern which can be rather slow growing. Best in a large pot or planted in a deep, rich, moist soil in semi-shade. Prone to scale and mealy bug infections.
Other information
Etymology
asplenium: From the Greek a- ‘without’ and splene ‘spleen’, a northern hemisphere species, the black spleenwort (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum), was once believed to be a cure for diseases of the spleen.
appendiculatum: Appendiculate, with small appendages or projections, hanging in small fragments
maritimum: From the Latin mare ‘sea’, meaning growing on the sea shore
Chromosome number
2n = 288
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Threatened – Regionally Endangered | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, Sp
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ. 1977. A taxonomic revision of the New Zealand species of Asplenium. New Zealand Journal of Botany 15(1): 39–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.1977.10429618.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (3 February 2005): Description from: Brownsey (1977)