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  4. Asplenium decurrens

Asplenium decurrens

North Cape.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 24/02/2011, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Puheke, Karikari.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Puheke, Karikari.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Asplenium northlandicum, Taranaki Bluffs, Aotea.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Karekare, Northland.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 25/10/2007, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Karekare, Northland.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 25/10/2007, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Karekare, Northland.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 25/10/2007, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Macauley Island.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Taranaki Point.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Taranaki Bluffs, Aotea.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
North Cape.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 24/02/2011, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Sori. North Cape.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 24/02/2011, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Scales at base of stipe. North Cape.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 24/02/2011, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Scales at base of stipe. North Cape.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 24/02/2011, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
L’Esperance Rock, Kermadec Islands. May 2011.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
L’Esperance Rock, Kermadec Islands. May 2011.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

northern shore spleenwort

Synonyms

Asplenium obtusatum subsp. northlandicum Brownsey, Asplenium northlandicum (Brownsey) Ogle, Asplenium sarmentosum Willd.

Family

Aspleniaceae

Authority

Asplenium decurrens Willd.

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

No

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Structural class

Ferns

Chromosome number

2n = 288

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

The threat classification status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.

Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO

Previous conservation statuses

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Distribution

Indigenous. New Zealand: Kermadec, Three Kings and North Islands from Te Paki to just south of the Tongaporutu River in the west at to Lottin point in the east. Present in Australia

Habitat

On coastal rocks or amongst petrel scrub especially in places exposed to salt spray

Features

Rhizome stout, often forming a hard woody mass above ground, bearing brown, shiny, ovate, acuminate scales up to 15 ~ 4 mm. Stipes 20-180 mm long, dark brown at base, green above, stout, covered in narrowly triangular scales with acute or acuminate apices. Laminae lanceolate to ovate, 40-200 ~ 20-70 mm, dull green, very thick and fleshy, pinnate. Raches green, stout, prominently grooved and scaly. Pinnae 4-18 pairs, narrowly ovate to oblong, obtuse to acute, crenate-serrate to entire, cuneate at base, 10-40 ~ 7-12 mm, scaly on the underside. Sori up to 10 mm long, not reaching to lamina edge. Spores (39)45-52(60) microns long, (25)29-33(38) microns wide

Similar taxa

Recognized by the penchant for exposed sea cliffs; by the simply pinnate, thick and fleshy fronds which are < 30 mm wide; by the stipe and rachis which is scaly; by the usually < 8 pairs of pinnae; and by the pinnae bearing scales on the underside only. Asplenium obtusatum differs from A. decurrens by its allopatric distribution, ovate scales, mostly larger fronds, smaller spores and tetraploid chromosome number (2n = 144 cf. 2n = 288 in A. decurrens)

Flowering

Not applicable - spore producing

Flower colours

No flowers

Fruiting

Not applicable - spore producing

Propagation technique

Easily grown but generally rather slow. A spectacular pot plant.

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.

Attribution

Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange 29 August 2007. Description adapted from Brownsey (1977).

References and further reading

Brownsey, P.J. 1977: A taxonomic revision of the New Zealand species of Asplenium. New Zealand Journal of Botany 15: 39-86.

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Asplenium decurrens Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/asplenium-decurrens/ (Date website was queried)

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