southern maidenhair, common maidenhair, venus'-hair fern
Synonym(s): Adiantum capillus-veneris var. modestum, Adiantum capillus-veneris var. protrusum, Adiantum modestum
Image ID: 8559
Image by: Parkins, Grant Morrow
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library
PLANT INDEX
ID_PLANT: ADCA
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Adiantum capillus-veneris
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-04-11
GENUS INDEX
GENUS CODE: ADIAN GENUS SCIENTIFIC:Adiantum GENUS AUTHORITY: L. GENUS COMMON: Maidenhair fern GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of 150-200 species, nearly cosmopolitan. GENUS IDENTIFICATION: GENUS REFERENCES: Paris in FNA (1993b); Lu et al. (2011)=Z; Lin, Prado, & Gilbert in FoC (2013); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990).
FAMILY INDEX
FAMILY CODE: PTERID FAMILY SCIENTIFIC:Pteridaceae FAMILY AUTHORITY: E.D.M. Kirchner 1831 FAMILY COMMON: Maidenhair Fern Family FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 40 genera and about 1000 species. Here circumscribed to include Vittariaceae (see Smith et al. 2006). This family may be further subdivided, into families Adiantaceae (Adiantum, Vittaria), Sinopteridaceae (Myriopteris, Notholaena, Astrolepis, Pellaea), Cryptogrammaceae (Cryptogramma), Pteridaceae (Pteris), and Parkeriaceae (Acrostichum, Ceratopteris). FAMILY REFERENCE: Grusz & Windham (2013); Lellinger (1985); Windham in FNA (1993b); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Crane (1997). {add for FL: Acrostichum aureum, Adiantum melanoleucum, Adiantum villosum, Pityrogramma trifoliata, Pteris bahamensis, Pteris grandifolia, Pteris plumula}
FRUITING PERIOD: DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: s. U.S. to S. America, Eurasia & Africa HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: The finely-cut lacy foliage of the Southern maidenhair adds a delicate note to any shade garden. Plant it in a prominent spot where you can really appreciate its beauty. Mix compost and a little lime into the soil before planting and watch this fern thrive. This species grows best in soil that is evenly moist, although well-drained. This Southeastern native perennial tolerates heat and humidity well. For a groundcover, try combining Southern maidenhair with deciduous wild ginger and enjoy their contrasting foliage.
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast
2018 Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina
This information is derived from the 2018 North Carolina Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species.
WEAKLEY FLORA
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Adiantum capillus-veneris
COMMON NAME: Venus'-hair Fern, Southern Maidenhair
SYNONYMY: [= Ar, C, F, FNA, FoC, G, K, RAB, S, Tn, Va, W, WH3]
PHENOLOGY: Jun-Jul.
HABITAT: Moist calcareous substrates, in the Coastal Plain on marl (coquina limestone) (NC and SC), on calcareous clay bluffs (GA), and adventive on lime mortar of old buildings and walls (as in Wilmington and Fayetteville, NC); in the Mountains and Interior Low Plateau on limestone or other calcareous sedimentary rocks.
COMMENTS: Widespread on several continents, in e. North America largely southern in distribution, from e. NC, w. VA, MO, CO, UT, and CO south; also disjunct in SD and BC, and in Mexico, the West Indies, tropical and warm temperate portions of Central and South America, Eurasia, and Africa. There is some question whether North American plants are conspecific with those in the Old World (Paris in FNA 1993b).
RANGE MAP: Adiantum capillus-veneris.png
Key to Map SymbolsABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora) Pteridaceae E.D.M. Kirchner 1831 (Maidenhair Fern Family) SUMMARY: A family of about 40 genera and about 1000 species. Here circumscribed to include Vittariaceae (see Smith et al. 2006). This family may be further subdivided, into families Adiantaceae (Adiantum, Vittaria), Sinopteridaceae (Myriopteris, Notholaena, Astrolepis, Pellaea), Cryptogrammaceae (Cryptogramma), Pteridaceae (Pteris), and Parkeriaceae (Acrostichum, Ceratopteris). REFERENCE: Grusz & Windham (2013); Lellinger (1985); Windham in FNA (1993b); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Crane (1997). {add for FL: Acrostichum aureum, Adiantum melanoleucum, Adiantum villosum, Pityrogramma trifoliata, Pteris bahamensis, Pteris grandifolia, Pteris plumula}ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora) Adiantum L. (Maidenhair fern) SUMMARY: A genus of 150-200 species, nearly cosmopolitan. REFERENCE: Paris in FNA (1993b); Lu et al. (2011)=Z; Lin, Prado, & Gilbert in FoC (2013); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990).
HERBARIUM RESOURCES
SERNEC: Find Adiantum capillus-veneris in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available) UNC SERNEC: Find Adiantum capillus-veneris in
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)