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  4. Asplenium flaccidum

Asplenium flaccidum

Butterfly Creek, Eastbourne.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, 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>
Mangaone Track.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 14/04/1984, 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>
Peel Forest.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 20/01/1983, 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>
Wellington.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 14/04/1984, 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>
Hybrid with Asplenium bulbiferum. Lower Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 09/01/2005, 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>
Asplenium flaccidum.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, 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>
Sori, Dunedin.<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>
Underside of frond, Dunedin.<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>
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Common names

drooping spleenwort, hanging spleenwort

Biostatus

Native

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Ferns

Detailed description

Mostly epiphytic. Rhizome short, stout, erect, bearing dark brown subulate scales up to 20 × 2 mm. Stipes 50–200 mm (or more) long, brown on underside, green above, flaccid, sparingly covered in small subulate scales with long filiform apices. Laminae lanceolate to elliptic, 150–900 (or more) × 50–250 mm, dull green, thick, leathery, limp and pendulous, pinnate to bipinnate. Raches green, sparingly scaly. Pinnae in 5–20 (or more) pairs, linear, acuminate, long stalked, 50–150 × 5–20 mm; degree of dissection very variable, sometimes only divided into very short obtuse segments, sometimes pinnate. Pinnules very variable in length, from oblong and obtuse to linear and acute, up to 15 × 2 mm. Basal acroscopic pinnule occasionally much longer than that next to it. Sori submarginal, linear, 2–10 mm long. Spores (31)–36–44–(50) × (19)–23–27–(33) μm.

Similar taxa

Allied to Asplenium haurakiense (Brownsey) Ogle from which it differs by its mostly epiphytic growth habit, wider ecological range (from exposed coastal areas through forest to the tree line), tetraploid (2n = 144) rather than octoploid (2n = 288) chromosome number, subulate rhizome and stipe scales (with long filiform apices and thin cell walls); pendulous rather than stiffly erect, dull green rather than usually glossy green, lanceolate to elliptic fronds; by the basal acroscopic pinnule which is only occasionally much longer than that next to it, and rarely pinnatifid; and by the smaller spores. Asplenium appendiculatum (Labill.) C.Presl subsp. appendiculatum occupies similar habitats and is somewhat similar. It can be distinguished from A. flaccidum by its usually terrestrial growth habit, octoploid (2n = 288) rather than tetraploid (2n = 144) chromosome number, and by having a more or less erect frond and a larger spore size.

Distribution

Indigenous. Kermadec Islands, Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, North Island, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, Snares Islands/Tini Heke. Also present in Australia and the wider Pacific.

Habitat

Coastal to montane (at the tree limit). In tall forest, scrub or rough boulder strewn ground. Mostly epiphytic on various native trees but also found on the ground.

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 | Qualifiers: SO

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Aspleniaceae

Authority

Asplenium flaccidum G.Forst.

Synonyms

Darea odontites (Thunb.) Willd.; Asplenium bulbiferum var. flaccidum (G.Forst.) Domin; Asplenium marinum var. flaccida (G.Forst.) F.Muell.; Caenopteris novae-zeelandiae Spreng.; Caenopteris odontites Thunb.; Darea flaccida (G.Forst.) Willd.; Asplenium heterophyllum A.Rich.; Asplenium odontites (Thunb.) R.Br.; Caenopteris flaccida (G.Forst.) Thunb.

Taxonomic notes

Kermadec Island plants are potentially distinct and seem closer to A. haurakiense. Further research into their status is needed.

Endemic taxon

No

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Ecology

Life cycle and dispersal

Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Propagation technique

Easily grown. An excellent pot and hanging basket fern. Can be slow establish. Prefers semi-shade, and should be planted in a fertile, free draining soil.

Wetland plant indicator status rating

Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]

UPL: Obligate Upland

Rarely is a hydrophyte, almost always in uplands (non-wetlands).

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.

flaccidum: Weak or limp; from the Latin flaccidus; habit of the leaves

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

ASPFLA

Chromosome number

2n = 144

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 | Qualifiers: SO

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Jump to current conservation status

Regional conservation statuses

Otago: 2024 | Regionally Not Threatened

The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.

Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT

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.

Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.

Attribution

Description modified from Brownsey (1977)

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