Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta (Filicophyta)
Class: Pteridopsida (Filicopsida)
Subclass: Filicinae
Order: Aspleniales
Family: Aspleniaceae
Genus: Asplenium
The ebony spleenwort is one of the most common and, indeed, ubiquitous of eastern North American ferns. Although its preferred habitat is brushy old fields in succession to woodland, it will grow almost anywhere. I've seen it growing in mortar joints high up in chimneys, in cracks between the stones of an old bridge and in foundations. It grows on both limestone and sandstone. I've also seen it spontaneously pop up in a flower border. It is frequently associated with groundcedar, Diphasiastrum digitatum, grape fern, Botrychium dissectum, and cranefly orchid in redcedar groves, forming part of a beautiful assembly.
The ebony spleenwort has two types of fronds: short, curving, sterile fronds that lie close to the ground, framing the central fronds, and longer, straight fertile fronds that stand erect in the center. Sometimes a plant will have only or almost only one of the two types of fronds. The plant is small, with the erect fronds only reaching some forty or so centimeters tall. The fronds are very narrow and simply pinnate with toothed pinnae, giving the fertile fronds a sort of "ladder-like" appearance.
The ebony spleenwort is sometimes confused with the black-stem spleenwort, Asplenium resiliens. However, the pinnae of the ebony spleenwort are alternate and the rhachis is brown, while the pinnae of the black-stemmed spleenwort are opposite and the rhachis is black. It is also confused with the maidenhair spleenwort, A. trichomanes, but the pinnae of the maidenhair spleenwort are rounder and it lacks the stiffly erect fertile fronds.
The ebony spleenwort also is known to hybridize with other area spleenworts. Bradley's spleenwort arose as a hybrid between the ebony spleenwort and the mountain spleenwort, Asplenium montanum. The Kentucky spleenwort, Asplenium ebenoides, arose as a hybrid between the ebony spleenwort and the walking fern. It has also been known to cross with the maidenhair spleenwort, A. trichomanes and to back-cross with both species for which it is a parent.
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This page was last revised on 11-20-1997.