Asplenium aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Bech, commonly known as Forked or Shredded Spleenwort, is a native Western Australian fern (Florabase, 2013). It is a hardy, but attractive fern species and the common name "spleenwort" refers to the old belief that the plant could help cure ailments of the spleen. Asplenium is a popular group of ferns prized for their frond symmetry, frond texture and sheen and neat growth habit. Asplenium aethiopicum generally cultivates well and is sold in many countries (Jones, 1987).
Not Threatened in Western Australia. Risk code: 3RC- : has a geographic range greater than 100km, rare but doesn’t have an identifiable threat, has a least one population within a nature reserve, but the size of the reserve population is not accurately known (Briggs & Leigh, 1995)
Asplenium aethiopicum is a terrestrial or epiphytic species of fern, found either growing in soil or on rocks or other plants for mechanical support. This species is quick long-lived and grows between 20 and 50cm tall with a short-creeping and scaly rhizome. Fronds are semi- erect or overhanging and can grow up to 35cm in length and range between 2 and 12cm wide. The stipe and rachis (the main stem /stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem) are almost black at the base, becoming green towards the apex and are shiny and abundantly scaly. The blade of the frond is divided into leaflets and is elliptical or egg shaped. The primary leaflets (pinnae) are egg shaped and taper gradually to a sharp point. There are usually 5- 15 pairs of primary pinnae which are between 1.4 - 7cm long and 0,6 - 3.5cm wide. The secondary pinnae can vary in shape from wedge shaped to linear or egg shaped with either a sharp pointed or blunt tip. The secondary pinnae are generally deeply incised and lack a stalk. Asplenium aethiopicum, like all ferns, reproduces via spores and has clusters of spore producing structures known as sori located on the underside of fertile fronds. The sori in Asplenium aethiopicum are approximately 8mm long and are protected by a thin membrane called the indusium (Australian National Botanic Gardens [ANBG], 2013).
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Cytological studies have a major importance when studying the phylogenetics of this genus that is well known for its reticulate evolution resulting from hybridization and polyploidization, however much of the cytology of this group of species remains poorly understood (Bellefroid, Rambe & Viane, 2010).Asplenium aethiopicum was first named Trichomanes aethiopicum Burm. in South Africa but was later noted to have distinct similarities to Asplenium praemorsum Sw. in Australia and thus was renamed with T.aethiopicum, A.praemorsum and A.furcantum listed as synonyms. It now belongs to the genus Asplenium which contains more than 700 species and has proved difficult to split into small groups due to a number of remarkably undefinable species (Panagrahi, 1962).
Quite common in the south west province of Western Australia from Harvey to Esperance. IBRA regions include: Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren. In the eastern states, scattered populations occur near the eastern and south-eastern coast from Bunya Mountains, south eastern Queensland, to Portland, Victoria (ANBG, 2013).
Commonly grows in crevices of granite rock or epiphytic on the trunks of Allocasuarina decussata (Karri Oak) in W.A.. In the eastern states this species often grows on sandstone or basalt boulders in wet sclerophyll forest (Jones, 1987).
This species is referred to as a spleenwort as it was previously thought to cure ailments of the spleen. Today, it used simply as an ornamtntal plant due to its pleasant appearance and easy cultivation.
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