Asplenium onopteris L., 1753

Common names

• 🇬🇧 Irish Spleenwort
• 🇫🇷 Doradille des ânes

Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Clade: Tracheophytes
• Clade: Monilophytes
• Class: Polypodiopsida
• Subclass: Polypodiidae
• Order: Polypodiales
• Suborder: Aspleniineae
• Family: Aspleniaceae
• Genus: Asplenium
• Species: Asplenium onopteris

Presence

Present.

Conservation status

• Red List (Metropolitan France): LC Least Concern

Notes

Possible confusion with A. adiantum-nigrum L., 1753, which has smaller fronds (10-30 cm), non-caudate pinnae, and non-mucronate pinnule teeth, while A. onopteris has larger fronds (20-40 cm), usually caudate pinnae, and mucronate pinnule teeth.

The differentiation between A. onopteris and large individuals of A. adiantum-nigrum can be complicated, if not impossible, in the field. In this case, measuring the size of the spores remains the only reliable solution to differentiate the two species.

Diploid (2n = 72).

Hybridizes with:

• A. adiantum-nigrum L., 1753 to produce A. × ticinense D.E.Mey., 1961, P;
• A. balearicum Shivas, 1969 to produce A. × tyrrhenicum Cubas, Pangua & Rosselló, 1987, P;
• A. foreziense Le Grand ex Magnier, 1884 to produce A. × ruscinonense Nieschalk, Lovis & Reichst., 1981, P;
• A. obovatum subsp. obovatum Viv., 1824 to produce A. × bouharmontii Badré & Prelli, 1982, P.

Photographs

Anomalies

Sources

• Badré, F., & Deschatres, R. (1979). Les Ptéridophytes de la France : liste commentée des espèces (taxinomie, cytologie, écologie et répartition générale). Candollea, 34(2), 379-457. https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-880127

• Prelli, R., & Boudrie, M. (2024). Les fougères et plantes alliées d’Europe (2nd ed., p. 281). Biotope.

• Tison, J.M., & de Foucault, B. (2014). Flora Gallica : Flore de France (p. 8). Biotope.