Forked Spleenwort
Asplenium septentrionale
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplenium_septentrionale
Overview
Asplenium septentrionale is a species of fern known by the common names northern spleenwort and forked spleenwort. It is native to Europe, Asia and western North America, where it grows on rocks. Its long, slender leaves give it a distinctive appearance. Three subspecies exist, corresponding to a tetraploid and a diploid cytotype and their triploid hybrid.
Forked Spleenwort faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from quarrying and rock extraction activities that destroy its specialized rocky cliff and crevice habitats. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the cool, moist microclimate conditions this arctic-alpine species requires for survival.
Habitat
Asplenium septentrionale subsp. septentrionale is found in Europe and Asia from the Macaronesian Islands east through Europe, western Asia, the former USSR, northern India, parts of western and central China (Xinjiang, Tibet, and Shaanxi), and Taiwan. It is also found in North America, principally in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, but also in the Black Hills of South...
Other threatened species in Aspleniaceae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Forked Spleenwort classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Forked Spleenwort live?
What are the main threats to Forked Spleenwort?
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