Asplenium subglandulosum
Common names
blanket fern
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Reddish-green to red-brown hairy fern of dry or exposed rock crevices. Rhizomes short, erect, ascending, covered in scales. Stipes and rachises pale chesnut-brown to dark red-brown at base, green above, copiously invested in pale brown to red-brown, 0.1–2 mm long, non-glandular hairs. Stipe 5–70 × 0.5 mm diameter. Frond lamina 1–2-pinnate, narrowly elliptic, 15–150 x 6–45 mm, dark brownish-green to brown-green, densely covered in pale brown non-glandular hairs. Primary pinnae in 3–11 pairs, flabellate, ovate or bluntly and broadly ovate; bases oblique to unequally cuneate, shortly stalked; margins dentate or more or less entire; apices obtuse or more or less rounded; longest pinnae near middle of frond, these 3–23 × 3–22 mm, divided into secondary pinnae; these up to 10 × 9 mm. Sori ≤ 5 mm long.
Similar taxa
This species could not be confused with any other New Zealand fern. Its preference for exposed, dry rock faces and crevices, usually devoid of other vascular plants, the small tufted habit, and the almost velvety textured, brownish-green, 1–2-pinnate fronds copiously covered in reddish to red-brown non-glandular hairs are key characters enabling its immediate recognition in the field and herbarium.
Distribution
Indigenous. North Island (inland Hawke’s Bay (an old record), the north-west Ruahine Ranges, near Cape Palliser, and possibly also Cape Terawhiti), South Island (more widespread in the east from Marlborough south to Otago). Also Australia.
Habitat
Coastal to subalpine (1–1400 m.a.s.l.), saxicolous, usually on dry, exposed and sunny rock faces or crevices and joints with little (if any) associated vascular plant cover.
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 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: Sp, CI, DPS, DPT, SO
Threats
A genuinely uncommon, naturally sparse fern. Although widespread it is easily overlooked and it is possible that some populations have been eliminated by quarrying. Because it is unusual, it is susceptible to overcollection by botanists, a factor which has threatened some populations in the recent past. It is quite likely that some populations are threatened by the spread of introduced weeds into its preferred cliff habitats. Nevertheless it would seem that these threats have had little impact on the species’ overall distribution. Populations of this species should be carefully monitored to determine their long-term stability.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Gymnogramma alpina Potts; Gymnogramma rutaefolia (R.Br.) Desv.; Gymnogramma pozoi var. rutaefolia (R.Br.) Hook. et Baker; Ceterach rutaefolium (R.Br.) Mett.; Grammitis rutaefolia R.Br., Asplenium subglandulosum (Hook. et Grev.) Salvo, Prada et Diaz subsp. subglandulosum; Pleurosorus rutifolius (R.Br.) Fée
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Propagation technique
Difficult - should not be removed from the wild
Other information
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for March 2014 for the full story.
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.
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.
ASPSUB
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, SO, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: SO, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: SO
2004 | Sparse
Regional conservation statuses
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.
Otago: 2024 | Threatened – Regionally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, NR, NStr, PF, RR, Sp
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ, Smith-Dodsworth JC. 2000. New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. David Bateman, Auckland, NZ. 168 p.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (17 April 2011). Description adapted from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Asplenium subglandulosum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/asplenium-subglandulosum/ (Date website was queried)